THE

ELLESMERIAN

2010
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Contents
VOLUME CXX
Headmaster’s Speech ....................................2 2010
Prize List .......................................................11 Captains of School
Head Boy: F J Herzog
Common Room Notes ..................................12 Head Girl: R A L Britton
College Prefects
Competitive Houses
W J Bevan
Meynell ............................................18 J T Boswell
Talbot ...............................................21 T D Carr
J R Dapling
Wakeman-Lambart ..........................24 J A Eckhoff
Woodard ..........................................27 J A M E Ekert
E H Evans
Pupil Notes V Z Grudde
Z E Haynes
Lower School ...................................30 E L A Hughes
Middle School ..................................35 C D Johnson
M D Jones
Sixth Form .......................................40 I Stoica
M Verleger
University Destinations .................................46 L T Walters
N Wojtynia
Chapel Notes ...............................................47

CCF ...............................................................49

Art ................................................................55

Drama ...........................................................63

Music ............................................................71

In and Around ...............................................76 www.ellesmere.com

The College website is updated regularly
Out and About ..............................................79 with information on sports fixtures, what’s
on and news items
Sport
Rugby ..............................................86 The Editor wishes to thank
all contributors and those
Girls’ Hockey .................................110 who helped to research
Netball ...........................................118 and compile the magazine

Football ..........................................125 Cover

Boys’ Hockey .................................134 Old Ellesmerians
Top Left: Lt Col Nick Lock OBE
Cricket ............................................135 Top right: Emma Snow
Centre: Kathleen Benner
Shooting ........................................146 Bottom left: Nigel Spurr
Summer Sports .............................148 Bottom right: Robert Kelsall

House Competitions ......................154 Inside Front Cover

Summer Concert in Big School
Academies .....................................158
Back Cover
Parents’ Society .........................................163 Young Musicians -
Benjamin Huang, Daisy Clarke
Luca Kuhn, Angelo Daniel, John Paul
Old Ellesmerians ........................................166 Kevin Zhang, Elizabeth Walsh

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Speech Day 2010

The Headmaster’s Speech
Custos, Ladies and Gentlemen, I
am pleased to be here once again
to report on another successful
and extremely busy year in the life
of the College. Despite the world
recession, pupil numbers
increased in September to their
highest point in our history: I
apologise to my audience now, but
the more pupils there are, the more
achievements there are to report
upon and this is a long speech
despite some heavy editing of
names and achievements that in
previous years would certainly
have warranted mention.
In my speech last year I criticised
the then impending visit to the College of UK Borders
Agency – who are in charge of immigration – which was
designed to ensure that we were not importing terrorists.
I don’t imagine anyone at the immigration service
seriously thought that we were a hotbed of terrorist
activity, but – as I am sure we would have been told had
we challenged their visit – “rules are rules”. It must be
very frustrating to work for a government agency since
neither judgement nor common sense is allowed to be
used as a tool for the job. I’m pleased to report that the
immigration service has made it into this year’s speech
and we can start with a quiz as a result. Which of the
following questions do you think a new ten-year-old
boarder joining the College from overseas was asked
recently upon his arrival at Manchester Airport:
a) What is your marital status?
b) Have you ever been involved, or suspected of
involvement, in war crimes, crimes against
humanity or genocide?
c) Have you ever been involved in, supported or
encouraged terrorist activities in any country?
d) Have you any traffic convictions?
Obviously he faced other questions too. So please make
up your minds and choose one. Of course, as you might
guess, “all of the above” is the right answer.
Now I may be crediting our new ten-year-old pupil with an
excess of guile, but I suspect that if he is a married
genocidal terrorist with multiple speeding convictions he
is unlikely to say so when asked. I’ve actually shortened
the list as there are three separate questions about
terrorism that he was asked, as the law requires –
presumably in the hope of catching him out. You can
imagine the scene:
· Are you a terrorist? – no.
· Have you ever glorified
terrorism? – no.
· Have you ever supported a
terrorist activity? – yes, no, I
mean . . . oh no, you’ve caught
me!
Of course it’s not just the
immigration service. The Child
Protection Industry – for that is
the only honest description of it –
has destroyed inter-generational
trust and put in its place an
absurd and costly system which
frequently gives false positives
that ruin people’s lives. A few
years ago a Criminal Records
Bureau check on one of our former Chaplains came
back with the news that over thirty years earlier he had
been convicted of shoplifting. My principal response was
one of horror that I had been given this information, as it
could have no bearing on his job and went against all
decent principles of rehabilitation and forgiveness. I
decided not to trouble the then-Chaplain with my
inappropriate knowledge of his past. Eventually he
found out that his CRB check had thrown up this
conviction, and he was very upset with me for not telling
him that I knew of it . . . particularly as it wasn’t true.
Someone of a similar name from the same time had
committed the offence – and may well have gone on to
lead a similarly blameless life.
This mildly amusing story could have had quite a
different ending; there are many stories of careers being
ruined through such mistakes, since such circumstances
can lead to immediate dismissal and it takes the Criminal
Records Bureau many months to correct errors. And, of
course, this extremely expensive system – just like the
rest of the child protection business – has done nothing
significant to improve the lives of children: quite the
opposite in fact, given its destructive effects on the
culture of volunteering among adults. It is interesting to
note that no other country in the world has shown the
slightest interest in adopting a system similar to our own.
Of course, mindless bureaucracy is an easy target; but
just because it’s an easy target doesn’t mean it shouldn’t
be attacked. It is not just comical, it is part of something
which impoverishes and potentially dehumanises us all.
Rules and regulation drive out trust and responsibility. I
think most of us are pretty tired of the MPs’ expenses
scandal but it’s interesting to note that for a long time the
argument from many involved was that they had done
nothing wrong because what they had done was within
the rules. A regulation-based culture drives out morality
as well as common sense.

2

It’s just the same with the effect on education of multiple
forms of inspection and measurement. Education has
been impoverished and – considering the national scene
– there has been a culture of “if you can’t measure it, it
doesn’t matter”. This reductive approach to education
has been hugely damaging, and while we have
successfully stood against it, we are in an extreme
minority. Indeed, I am guilty of framing what we are
trying to do at Ellesmere too narrowly on occasions
myself.
Of course, we are aiming to send people out who are
well-rounded and well-prepared for their adult lives, but
at times I forget to emphasise how much we are trying to
make good people who will enjoy lives that are rich in
many ways and who can make a positive contribution to
the world, measured not through economic
productiveness – although I could not be more in favour
of that – but rather through their ability simply to live well.
My favourite philosopher is Marcus Aurelius, a Roman
Emperor from the second century. He remarks in his
Meditations that “one’s life is what one’s thoughts make
it”; by which he means that our attitudes determine our
success and our evaluation of our success in life. An
Ellesmere education is very much about inculcating the
right attitudes.
The main measure of academic success – at an
individual level, of course – is found in public
examination results. At this time of the year such results
seem a long time away (or perhaps alarmingly close for
this year’s candidates), but we can look back on last
summer’s examination results with some considerable
pride. As you will know, the emphasis at Ellesmere is not
always on individual pupil performance, and no mark –
however high or low – has any meaning unless we can
set it in the context of the abilities of the pupil concerned.
Having said that, in headline terms our Sixth Form
results were excellent this year. Taken across the ‘A’ Level
and IB group as a whole our average score – expressed
as ‘A’ Levels – was an A and 2 Bs. This is a remarkably
high average for a school which prides itself on having
pupils of a wide ability range in its Sixth Form, and I am
very proud of last year’s Sixth Form as a whole for the
Award-winners at Intermediate level in the National UK Maths
Challenge with John Cowley, Head of Maths
3
The Ellesmerian 2010
GCSE Results: Lucy Harrington, Alex Owen, Callum
Booth, Sam Phillips, James McCarthy, Charlotte Boffey
results that they achieved. Last year’s Head Boy, David
Anders-Richards, achieved four A grades and is now
studying Biochemistry at the University of California, Los
Angeles; Colin Fergusson’s four As secured him a place
at Durham to read Geography.
Results for our International Baccalaureate candidates
were even more impressive: they averaged a score in
excess of three As at A level. Hendrick Scheer and
Yasmin Rahbari achieved the equivalent of five ‘A’ Level
A grades through the IB and took up courses at The
London School of Economics and Loughborough
respectively.
At GCSE the girls excelled themselves with more than
38% of their grades being achieved at A or A*
standard,and the majority of departments achieved A-C
pass rates of 100%.
We are not interested in the academic success of
Ellesmerians only while they are at the school, and
highlights from OE news this year include Jennifer
Sampson receiving a First Class Honours Degree in
Engineering from Edinburgh University and Sarah
Haynes the same class of Honours from Exeter
University for History. OEs Kate Eisenstein and Linden
Hutchinson have gone on to Oxford for higher
degrees, having enjoyed successful undergraduate
careers.
Careers are far more than simply proceeding to
university, and I am pleased to report that this year
our Year 11 Careers Conference attracted over forty
speakers from a wide range of professional and
employment backgrounds, all ready to give their
advice and help to students and parents. During the
current academic year I have been pleased to see a
continuing number of Gold, Silver and Bronze
awards in the National UK Mathematics Challenge,
and also this year Golds, Silvers and Bronzes in the
National Biology Challenge event. Staying with
national competitions, Year 8 student Ryen
Spencer-Wolfe was highly commended for his entry
into the National Design and Technology
competition sponsored by Starpack.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Josh Boswell, overall Senior winner of the National
Parliamentary Press Gallery Writing Competition
Particular mention should be made of the success of
Josh Boswell, who was the overall senior winner of the
National Parliamentary Press Gallery Writing
Competition. This took place prior to the recent election
and Josh’s winning entry recommended three policies
that could be adopted by any of the parties for that
election. As a reward for winning this prize he travelled to
London as a guest of the Parliamentary Press Gallery,
was given a tour of the Houses of Parliament and met
with the Speaker of the House of Commons. He then
went on to 10 Downing Street and met with Gordon
Brown to discuss his suggestions for legal reforms.
The mention of Josh’s travelling reminds me that we
have enjoyed the usual number of academic expeditions
this year. To pick out simply a random sample, there was
our annual Classics trip to Bath and Cirencester, various
Geography Field Trips and, of course, the ever-popular
History Battlefield trip to the World One battle sites in
Northern France and Belgium. Staying with History-
related travel, Luke Ottaway and James McCarthy were
chosen as College ambassadors to Auschwitz which
they visited over Easter, attending lectures and
information sessions, and they will be presenting their
experiences to the College next term.
Continuing with an international theme, for the first time
this year the College
participated in the Model
United Nations, in both Leiden
and The Hague. Ellesmerians
represented countries as
diverse as Niger and China,
and several of our students’
resolutions made it all the way
to being passed in the
General Assembly.
A crucial part of any political
or diplomatic career – or for
any form of leadership – is the
ability to communicate well
and to speak effectively.
Ellesmere has a long tradition
of success in English The team of Ellesmerians who took part in the Model
Speaking Examinations and in United Nations in Leiden and The Hague
4
the Lower Sixth more than twenty of our students
achieved Distinctions which means they have already
earned sixty-five UCAS points, the equivalent of a pass
at ‘AS’ Level, towards the totals that they will need for
universities next year. The College Public Speaking
teams continue to be active and this year has seen a real
upsurge of interest in Debating Societies in both the
Senior and Lower School.
Artistic endeavour – in all its forms – continues to go from
strength to strength at Ellesmere. This year, for the first
time, we worked to the Arts Council-sponsored “Arts
Award” programme and over fifty Ellesmerians have
been celebrating their achievements as a result. These
pupils have used the Thursday afternoon time as
dedicated Arts time under the banner of the Arena Arts
Programme, and have taken part in activities including
music, script-writing, painting, sculpture, costume and
make-up, stage lighting design, dance, film making, radio
drama, sound recording and musical composition; I have
probably missed something out! This programme was
supplemented by various theatre and gallery trips. Much
of the work that the pupils produced was showcased in
the Lent Term Arts Evening which celebrated artistic
achievement at the College. The Visual Arts have seen
a number of Exhibitions at the College throughout the
year, and we were pleased that Rory Bothwell and Ella
Walker had their work selected for exhibition at The
Lowry Arts Centre in Salford.
On the musical front there has been a very wide range of
activities this year. The Chapel Choir has gone from
strength to strength and now numbers over fifty voices. In
the Oswestry Musical Festival they finished first for the
second year running in the choral competition: we will be
aiming for a hat-trick next year. The Lower School Choir
is up to around forty singers, and has sung at various
events in and out of College including the Leonard
Cheshire Home in Dolywern. At the Oswestry Festival
they finished a very close second.
The Oswestry Festival also saw a good number of
individual awards and particular mention should go to
John Paul, George Fradley and Luke Taylor for winning
the Instrumental
Ensemble class and to
John Paul for winning
the Strings Solo for
Ages 15 and under.
Sophie Austin from
Year 7 and Elizabeth
Walsh from Year 5 won
the Vocal Solo and
String Solo classes
respectively at Under
12 level.
The Choral Society
has also seen its
membership rise this
year and this link
between the school
and local singers is
very valuable. This
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Ellesmere
College Chapel
Choir
performing at
the Three
Choirs Concert
with Mr Paul at
the piano

throughout the year.

Pupil direction also
came to the fore in
the House Drama
Festival in the
Michaelmas Term
year’s major works were Faure’s Requiem and the when the four Senior School Houses put on Outside
Vivaldi Gloria. The Choral Society contributed to the Edge, Blithe Spirit, Our Day Out and The House Play
Three Choirs Concert which is establishing itself as a Festival Play.
major highlight of the cultural calendar. The College
Orchestra continues to grow in range and distinguished I hope it is not indulgent of me to mention that an Old
itself at the Autumn and Three Choirs Concerts with a Ellesmerian who began to learn her craft as a Director
wide variety of musical styles including Pirates of the here wrote and directed a play which was performed as
Caribbean and a performance of the late Michael recently as last month. Catherine Wignall’s Imitation of
Jackson’s Thriller. The relationship between the Choral Life proved to be very successful, helped by
Society and the College’s other choirs continues through performances from three strong Sixth Form actors. She
the now annual Thee Choirs European Tour which this is now working on her next script.
year found itself in Malta. Of course, the achievements in the sporting arena are
Perhaps not quite on the same level of cultural elevation, always relatively easy to report upon. Unlike artistic or
the annual House Singing Competition nevertheless academic endeavour you can go out every weekend and
reached high standards this year. The Battle of the beat the opposition. Last year I reported that twenty-nine
Bands proved as popular as ever with an innovation different sports had been offered at various standards.
being the appearance of a professional headlining act This year I am pleased to say that that number has
with an up-and-coming Band “Jonny Black” spending a increased to thirty-four. Seventeen different House
day at the College in February to work with and advise sports were played and seventy-six school teams turned
our student Bands about song-writing and the music out to represent the College in over five hundred and fifty
industry. There was the usual excellent crop of grades in fixtures. County, Regional or National honours were
the Associated Board of The Royal School of Music achieved in ten sports; Rugby, Hockey, Football, Netball,
examinations and the pass rate this year was one Tennis, Swimming, Athletics, Cricket, Shooting and
hundred percent with two thirds of those passes at Merit Sailing.
or better.
The year begins with
Drama has been unusually vigorous this year, even by Hockey for the girls
the high standards set in recent years. The Lower School and Rugby for the
Key Stage 2 Christmas Show of The Selfish Giant was boys, and the 1st XI
well received, as was the Year 7 and 8 The Greeks on Hockey side enjoyed a
Stage which included – for one night only – a rather successful season,
surprised Headmaster held in a headlock by one of the playing nine matches
actors – all in pursuit of Art, of course. The Year 10 of which six games
Pantomime produced two different versions of Dick ended in wins and one
Whittington, so great was the enthusiasm for in a draw. The Junior A
involvement, and played to College audiences and to side had an unbeaten
appreciative local Primary and Prep School audiences season, winning all
when they went on their day tours. The Middle School their matches and
Drama Club produced a particularly interesting set of drawing only one. The
performances in their production of All in the Timing, an U12s also had an
evening with David Ives, which included a number of unbeaten season. A Chloe Prydden, selected for
short plays, some of which were directed by Sixth Form significant number of the North East Wales U18
pupils who have been helping with the Drama Club pupils represented the Hockey side

5
 The Ellesmerian 2010
County at various age-groups and particular mention
should be given to Vivian Grudde, who was chosen as
the Shropshire U17 Team Vice-Captain; to Ellie
Halstead, who was selected to go on to training with the
Junior Regional Performance Centre and the Midlands
Squad; and to Chloe Prydden, who was selected to play
for the North East Wales
U18 side.
Rugby saw thirty boys
selected at County or
Regional level, which
equates roughly to 10% of
the relevant age-groups for
boys from Ellesmere.
Staying with individuals,
particular mention should
go to two Old Ellesmerian
rugby players, James King
and Joel Galley, who
represented Wales in the
U20 Junior Rugby World
Championships held in U15 Sevens Team, winners of the Adams
Argentina, as part of a very Grammar School Tournament
successful Welsh team that
won five of their eight games.
At A team level the U15 Sevens won the Adams’
Grammar School Tournament, and the Senior Sevens
won the prestigious King’s Worcester Sevens
Tournament, beating teams from Bromsgrove,
Loughborough, Cheltenham and Old Swinford Hospital
on the way. The U15 full-size team
made it to the last sixty-four of the
Daily Mail Cup, and the 1st XV exited
the Daily Mail Cup unbeaten. This
strange circumstance arose because
the organisers of the Daily Mail Cup
insisted that we played a match which
would have meant that a significant
number of players would have had to
miss ‘AS’ Level examinations to take
part. While we enjoy winning and
success, it was clearly not an option to
sacrifice the education of individuals
for the glory of school rugby: I can
honestly say that I wasn’t tempted
even for a moment. Nine-year-old Hector Pardoe, UK
No. 1 in his year-group, with some Preston, Sam Owen, Clara Edwards
The Lent Term was disrupted very of his swimming medals
significantly by the heavy snow at the
start of the year. Of the Football
games played almost two thirds ended in wins or draws.
Individual mentions go to Todd Dobie from Year 11 who
has been given a scholarship to train at TNS, the Welsh
League Champions; Myles Arnold continues to train with
Shrewsbury Town, and Fraser Murdoch, in addition to
being on Crewe Alexandra’s books, was selected to play
for Scotland. Netball had a very successful term with the
1st Seven winning the North Shropshire Tournament for
their age-group, as did the U14 team.
Summer Term cricket always straddles Speech Day as
the Cricket season carries on past the end of term. An
6
achievement from last year certainly worthy of mention is
Jordan Evans’ tally of 684 runs at an average of 76 with
three centuries. This achievement earned him a listing in
the Wisden National School Cricket Averages as one of
the top twenty batsmen in the country. This season we
have seen eleven County selections with Fraser Murdoch
selected for the Welsh U14
side.
Tennis used to be a Summer
Term sport, but now –
weather permitting – it is all
year round. There have
been some splendid Tennis
successes this year and for
the second year in a row we
were the only school to send
two teams to the National
Finals at the Bolton Arena.
The girls’ team finished third
overall out of the eight
finalists with the mixed
doubles team falling at the
final stage and finishing as
runners-up. These exploits in
the National Finals followed
on from our Year 8 and Year 10 girls’ teams finishing third
and fourth in the country earlier in the year.
The U15 team had an unbeaten season, and we were
the winners of the U19 North Shropshire Girls’ Doubles
and the U15 North Shropshire Girls’ and Boys’ Doubles.
Particular mention should go to
Joanne Bowen, from Year 11, who
won the U18 Open Competition at The
Welti Tennis Centre, a title that she will
be able to defend for the next two
years.
Rounders is not a major school sport,
but I am pleased to report that our
U13 and U12 teams both won their
North Shropshire Tournaments.
It has been a good season for College
athletes: forty-seven pupils competed
in the North Shropshire Schools
Championships and first places were
taken by Colin Dickson, James
and Ellie Halstead – who broke the
North Shropshire record for the 100m.
George Beal represented Shropshire in the Midlands
Championships in the Shot Put. Lower School pupils
excelled in the Shropshire Amateur Athletics
Championships with Will Edwards deserving particular
mention as he finished first in the U11 600m and first in
the U11 long jump.
It is only a very short time ago that swimming was not
even a Summer sport, given the quality of British
Summers and the temperature of our then outdoor pool.
In a short time swimming at the College has been
transformed thanks very much to the Coach of

Ellesmere College Titans, Mr Jon
Pardoe. Swimming is so strong at
Ellesmere that we do not swim against
other schools but instead compete in
the National Adult League and for the
second year running Ellesmere
College Titans achieved promotion
from a twenty-team league and are
now top of the North of England
Regional Structure next year and one
step away from the Premiership.
Nine-year-old Hector Pardoe is
currently ranked UK Number 1 for his
age-group in the 200 metre butterfly
and 200 metre, 400 metre and 800
metre freestyle. At the 2010
Shropshire County Championships
the Titans swimmers racked up an Martin Jones receiving his RAF and five of them are from the current
impressive ten County records, were Scholarship from Flt Lt M McKenna Upper Sixth – a considerable
awarded two overall Best Boy and
Best Girl Championship trophies and won twenty-one
Gold, thirty-one Silver and twenty-six Bronze individual
medals. James Wilson, Alfie Pardoe and Naomi Craig
were all multiple medal winners. Naomi Craig also
qualified for the British National Modern Triathlon
Championships and finished second. Eight Titan
swimmers qualified for the Midland age-group
Championships and Alfie Pardoe and James Wilson
qualified for the finals with James returning with six Gold
medals.
The extra-curricular life beyond the areas of sport and
cultural activities continues to be wide, varied and
vigorous. I can’t possibly cover it all, but an example of cadets gained their RYA Level 1 or Level 2 sailing
the breadth might be seen by noting that the Lower
School Wildlife Garden – with the arrival of the Grow
Dome – has seen three new large beds added by Lower
Army Cadets who gained the Young Life Savers Award
Back row from left: Joe Pescod, Louis Chaudron, Simon Swannell,
Jens Lee, William Johnson and Sam Dapling
Front row from left: Georgina Ottaway, Bethany Lyttle, Kate Parry
and Sarah Carr
7
The Ellesmerian 2010
School pupils; two hundred bluebells
were added to the wooded area and
various fencing and tree planting has
also been undertaken. If we contrast
that with the increasing popularity of the
Sixth Form Wine Appreciation Society,
we can see that although both activities
are united by the need to grow things,
the range is very wide.
Last year’s Duke of Edinburgh Gold
Exhibition to paddle two of the rivers of
Southern France was reported – as
ever – to be tremendous fun and a great
learning experience for our pupils.
Seven Ellesmerians will be going to
Buckingham Palace within the next few
months to receive their Gold Awards,
achievement when Duke of Edinburgh
Awards are made well into people’s twenties. The Duke
of Edinburgh Gold group this year travelled to Canada in
an exciting departure from what has become the norm.
Despite a drastic and immediate cut in funding from the
Ministry of Defence some months ago, the CCF
programme has gone ahead as planned and has offered
the usual wide opportunities for leadership development
for our pupils. More than a dozen Army cadets have
gained their Young Life Saver award, and over forty
cadets were presented with their Bronze Duke of
Edinburgh Awards by Old Ellesmerian, Colonel Guy
Chambers, earlier this term. Last October ten Naval
qualifications, and all the cadets were involved in planting
over three hundred trees and hedging shrubs on the golf
course in aid of Cadet 150. Three cadets, Molly Venner,
Annabel Rogan and Ronnie Clewlow have
been selected to go to the Cadet 150 Garden
Party at Buckingham Palace.
In the RAF Section most of the cadets have
had an opportunity to fly a Grob tutor at RAF
Cosford, and some have recently been
gliding at Tern Hill. Yuriy Loychenko attended
a gliding course in May and gained his wings
flying a Vigalent, and Joe Davies recently
qualified as a pilot. Martin Jones has
obtained a much-sought-after RAF
Scholarship for his time as an undergraduate.
An Old Ellesmerian a little further down the
line, Mark Dean, has graduated from
Sandhurst and is now an Officer with the
Royal Logistics Corps.
Staying with matters martial, Jacob Roberts
from Year 8 was awarded the Litts Challenge
Cup at The Welsh Open Shooting
Competition in Cardiff. This Cup is awarded
to the junior showing most potential. Ryan
Williams represented Wales in overseas
competition and Richard Belcher was
selected to shoot in the British Schools’
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Competition held in Dortmund,
where he scored a personal best,
and was only six marks out of six
hundred behind the top British
shooter at the event.The College
U16 shooting team finished first in
their British Schools’ League, and
Matthew Steggles, Richard Belcher
and Ryan Williams have been
selected to shoot in the Junior
International match at Bisley next
month.
A large number of Charities have
been supported, including the Haiti
Earthquake Appeal; grants towards
a school in Mozambique which is
being helped by an Old Ellesmerian
at the moment; The Royal British
Legion Poppy Fund; Hope House
Hospice; and MacMillan Nurses – to
name but a few. We hope that
significant funds will be raised by the
Cookbook team producing our
Cookbook for Help the Heroes which was launched at a
cooking demonstration last week led ably by Mrs Pat
Venner. As well as it being a labour of love and
commitment, the Year 9 pupils who helped were able to
count their work towards the CCF Bronze Duke of
Edinburgh Award. They have already raised over £1000
for this worthwhile charity.
Last weekend a College staff and
pupil team undertook the annual
Snowdon Run to raise funds for
the Chernobyl Continuity charity.
Starting at 4.15am they ran in
relay from Ellesmere to Snowdon
and completed the course in 11
hours and 45 minutes. Several
individual runners ran distances in
excess of a marathon race. A
special mention should be made of
Mr Baggaley: noting that the run
coincided with the England-
Germany World Cup match, he
ran up Snowdon in full England kit,
a gesture he may have somewhat
regretted as news of the
humiliation of the national team
came through.
The Wildlife and Gardening
groups have supported Cancer
Research and Monduli Green. Our
links with Monduli – a reforestation
project in Tanzania – are strong,
and more than eighteen months of
drought have left the people there
very short of food, and the
reforestation project in some
doubt. However, World Bank
funding and the College’s
Ryan Williams, Junior International
shooter
local area, particularly through such events as Music is
Fun, Science is Fun (both for local primary schools), and
various primary age sports competitions. I should say
that we are most definitely not doing any of this because
of the expectations of the Charity Commission, but
because we think it is the right thing to do.
Raising money for MacMillan Nurses
Back row, left to right: James Preston,
Chloe Prydden, Charles Coppinger
Front row, left to right: India Redwood,
Tianna Williams, Mia Foster
8
willingness to pay for an extension
of the water-pipe to the village
should significantly improve the
quality of life for villagers and
enable them to reforest their land.
Staying with a green theme,
twenty solar panels are going to
be placed on the roof of the
Sports Centre over the summer
holidays and should significantly
reduce the amount of oil we use
as well as our carbon footprint.
Three of our pupils received
Young Citizenship awards from
the High Sheriff of Shropshire in
March, and Nick West, Elizabeth
Evans and Christopher Johnson
should be proud of their
achievements.
There have been the usual
school-based initiatives to provide
support to the education in the
A fundamental part of the wider
Ellesmere view is, of course, the
life of the College as it relates to
and from the Chapel. In a
disparate list of items relating to
the Chapel, Year 7 pupils went on
a very successful pilgrimage to
Blackburn Cathedral; the Chapel
Choir took delivery of new choir
robes – mostly financed by the Old
Ellesmerian Club; and the
restoration of the Chapel furniture
and artefacts is now complete with
the return of the dedicated prayer
desk which accompanies the
Bishop’s chair. Eleven pupils have
been confirmed this year by the
new Bishop of Shrewsbury, and
there have been three baptisms in
the Chapel.
Something that we do because –
to be honest – it is profitable, is the
Enterprise side of life at the
College, and this year has seen
growing numbers attending our
holiday courses and an increasing
profile for the College as a site for
weddings. Enterprise income
continues to rise, which is good
news for everyone involved with
Ellesmere.

The College Parents’ Society continues to be a vital part
of the social aspect of school life and has provided
support for the school in the form of a donation of a
Christmas tree, paying for the Key Stage 2 Christmas
party and the Year 7 and 8 disco, and the donation of
funds to enable the Lower School to develop an
adventure playground. Just as importantly it has
organised the Parents’ Society Winter Ball and this
week’s Ladies Luncheon, and I am very grateful to the
Parents’ Society Committee for all the hard work that
they do on behalf of the College.
Staying with the ‘looking outwards’ theme I am pleased
that we have been able to establish a Development
Office at the College. Nick Pettingale has joined us from
Stamford Schools and along with Lesley Farrer, his
assistant, is embarking on a programme of
strengthening further
the already strong links
between Ellesmere
College and the wider
Ellesmerian community,
defined not just as Old
Ellesmerians but former
and current parents.
All parents will have
received questionnaires
from Nick designed to
help him in this work.
As is always the case at
this time of the year we
say goodbye to a
number of staff who
have served the
College, in some cases,
for many years. Not a
goodbye, but certainly a The Adventure Playground equipment being enjoyed by some
thank you, goes to Mr Lower School pupils, with Sharon Owen, Head of Lower School
Martin Clewlow, who (left) and Anita Webster from the Parents’ Society. In the
finishes his time as a background are (left to right) Amanda Venner, Sue Dewhirst, Sue
Housemaster today. Parry and Anne Wignall.
When I arrived at the
College fourteen years ago Martin was moving from his
role as Housemaster of Lambart House to become the
founding Housemaster of St Aidan’s. From there he took
responsibility for the Nankivell Block – now St Luke’s –
before taking over Wakeman-Lambart House, then a 13-
18 Boys’ Boarding and Day House. With the
reorganisation of the House structure he found himself
in his current position, Housemaster of St Cuthbert’s.
Martin has done a terrific job in his various pastoral roles
over the years and I am very grateful to him for all his
hard work. I have no doubt that he will continue to make
an enormously positive contribution to the school in the
future.
Mrs Maddy Lin joined us for one year, breaking her
career as a full-time teacher in Guangxi Province, China.
As well as introducing the wider College to modern
Chinese culture, she played an important role in St
John’s House and acted as a teaching assistant in Lower
School. She returns home with all our best wishes.
9
The Ellesmerian 2010
Mrs Jane Fellows joined us in September on a one-year
contract in the Business Education Department following
a varied career in business and the completion of her
PGCE. She has thrown herself wholeheartedly into the
life of the school and her always positive attitude and
demeanour have been a great asset to the College and
Common Room.Young Enterprise and Games are just
two of the areas that have benefited from her
enthusiasm. As her contract comes to an end she moves
to Howell’s School; she does not live too far away and I
hope that she will keep in touch with everyone here.
Another enormously positive influence in Common Room
has been exerted by Miss Anwen Pugh, who has shown
great commitment to the sporting life at Ellesmere,
joining initially as a coach before becoming a fully-
qualified teacher. She will be a great loss to us, and it is
her commitment to
sport that leads to
that loss, as she
wishes to free her
weekends so that
she is able to
concentrate upon
her professional
development within
Hockey. I hope that
we can look forward
to hearing of her
many successes in
this – and other –
fields in the future.
Mrs Dionne Walker-
Smith joined us in
2007 from a school
in the North East of
England and leaves
us now to move to
Doha in the Middle
East with her family.
I am sure that
E l l e s m e r e
represented a physically warmer environment than
County Durham, but Doha should be something else
again. In her time at Ellesmere Mrs Walker-Smith has
contributed significantly to English and Media; she has
also done excellent work with our Duke of Edinburgh
Silver Award candidates, and played a significant part in
girls’ games.
Mrs Ann Hendriksen joined the College as a part-time
teacher of Learning Support some years before I arrived
in 1996, and became full-time in 2002. She has taught in
the Support for Learning and the EAL departments, and
has been much loved by the many students whom she
has cared for. “Cared for” is definitely the right term to
use for Ann. Her kindness and consideration for all
around her have been a hallmark of her time at
Ellesmere. She leaves us to go into retirement, and I
hope that that stage of her life will prove to be a long and
happy one.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Another member of the Support for Learning
Department who began as a part-time teacher before
being appointed full-time by me is Mrs Ros McCarthy.
Mrs McCarthy was one of my first Head of Department
appointments and remains one of my best (if I can say
that without offending the many other excellent Heads of
Department whom I have appointed!). Ros took an
already strong Support for Learning Department and led
it to a position where the College can legitimately claim
to have the best provision for dyslexic pupils of any
mainstream school in the UK. She is a well-respected
professional, known well beyond the bounds of
Ellesmere and is a very effective Inspector for CReSTeD,
a national dyslexia charity with which we are both
involved, and I am glad that she will continue with that
work as it will give me an opportunity to keep in touch
with her.
Mrs McCarthy, however, is far more than simply Support
for Learning, so far as Ellesmere is concerned. She has
been a very effective Student Council Coordinator in
recent years, but I know that her great love has been the
Duke of Edinburgh Gold programme. I mentioned earlier
that the Duke of Edinburgh Gold group depart for
Canada tomorrow and I am delighted that it will do so
under the care of Mrs McCarthy. I know
that she has many happy memories of
Duke of Edinburgh, and an enormous
number of pupils at Ellesmere – for a
variety of reasons – have good reason
to be grateful to her.
Mr Terry Howitt-Dring joined the
College in September 1970, a few
weeks before my tenth birthday! Forty
years of Ellesmere and forty years of
Mr Howitt-Dring suggests considerable
mutual satisfaction, and – so far as the
College is concerned – that is certainly
the case. Speaking at a farewell party
the other evening, Mr Howitt-Dring put
his time at Ellesmere into good context
by doing the count backwards from
Terry Howitt-Dring
1970. A Terry Howitt-Dring finishing in
1970 would have begun his career in
1930. Many things have changed at Ellesmere in Terry’s
time, indeed far too many to mention. Through it all,
though, Terry’s own personality has been consistent and
has been a perfect fit for Ellesmere: positive, cheerful
and self-deprecating. Indeed, “cheerful” really does not
begin to describe his fantastic sense of humour and wit,
with which he has entertained his colleagues and pupils
over many years. His work in Design Technology and as
Examinations Officer has been of the highest standard,
and he will be greatly missed as he heads for a well-
earned retirement with his wife, Andrea.
A loss to the College in every sense of the word is Mrs
Marilyn Amako. Marilyn joined Ellesmere in September
2002 having returned from Japan the previous year
following the death of her husband. She proved to be a
highly effective member of the EFL department and a
much loved, and very loving, member of Common
Room. She retired on grounds of ill-health in May and
died two weeks ago. It is customary to eulogise the
deceased, but “much loved” and “loving” are simply very
accurate descriptions of a truly kind and lovely person. I
was fortunate enough to attend a Service for Marilyn on
Tuesday of this week in Ruabon: it was packed and it
was clear that it was not just Ellesmere pupils and
Ellesmere Common Room who had loved her, but many
in her local community. The Service for Marilyn was very
much a celebration of her life and I know that is how she
would wish us to approach things. A minute’s silence
would certainly not be her style, just as praise and
congratulation was something that made her
uncomfortable. Those of us who knew her certainly
celebrate her life. We can thank her by including her in
the applause that I will ask you now to give all our leaving
staff and wish them all the best for the future.
The same day that I heard of Marilyn Amako’s death, I
heard of a pregnancy, and it made me think of the line
from A Winter’s Tale: “Thou mettest with things dying, I
with things newborn”.
I hope that Ellesmere is truly an education for life and all
its ups and downs; I believe that it is, and as such it is a
rare thing. I recall my own education when at the age of
fourteen I took the view that there was
education and there was life – and I
knew which I preferred. To be fair to
me, however, the grammar school
education I received was relatively
academically uninspiring and almost
entirely classroom-based. I want
much, much more for our pupils.
Education really is about intangibles,
and like most things it is in the
unmeasurable and the unquantifiable
that its value resides. At the beginning
of this speech (and I apologise if that
feels like some weeks ago) I
mentioned Marcus Aurelius and the
importance of having the right
attitude of mind. One of his more
memorable phrases sums up an
attitude that I can recommend to all our
pupils and leavers, and – indeed – to
everyone: “When you arise in the morning, think of what
a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think,
to enjoy, to love.”
I have the additional privilege of being Headmaster of
the wonderful community that is Ellesmere College. It is
a true privilege to work with such a talented, hard-
working and positive staff and I thank them for their
contribution to the success of Ellesmere and for making
the College such a happy place. I am also lucky to be
managed by an exceptional School Council, who are
similarly positive and cheerful and committed to the
College’s success. Staff and Council are just part of the
College community and the pupils, parents and Old
Ellesmerians all make a vital contribution to the
successful life of the College. That continuing success is
a tribute to you all.
Brendan Wignall
10
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Prize List 2010

Year 7 Lower Sixth cont.
Jessica Martin-Jones Art Fredi Steinebach EAL
Sebastian McCarthy English, History Christina Lieberoth-Leden French
William Ainge French Rebecca Maas Geography, History
James Bateman Geography, Maths, Science Valentina Horst German
Edward Lindop Latin, Spanish Gary Xu Maths
Year 8 Vicky Leadbeater Media Studies, Drama
Robert Lau PE
Ben Williamson Art
Xiaonan Peng Physics
David Powell English, Maths
Patrick Weigel Theory of Knowledge
Emily Roberts French, History, Latin
Sam Squires Geography Upper Sixth
George Watkin Spanish Elizabeth Evans Art, Media Studies
Joseph Hughes Science Christopher Johnson Biology, Chemistry
Year 9 Andrew Coubrough Bus. Studies
Toby Blake Design & Technology
Olivia Jones Art
Joshua Boswell Economics, Gen. Studies, Maths
Emily Palmer Chemistry, English, IT, Maths, Biology
Zoe Haynes English
Jonathan Cooksey Design & Technology
Yaroslav Storozhik EAL
Jake Rogan Geography, Spanish
Sophie Simic French
John Leadbeater Graph. Communications, History, Latin
Frederick Herzog Geography, History
Jordan Bulanda Music
Stella Lesch German
Paul Scull Drama, Physics
Matthew Steggles Media Studies, Drama
Peter Nelhans Religious Studies
Afra Ekert Music
Year 10
Martin Jones PE
Rory Bothwell Art
Wilson Chan Physics
Joseph Haigh Biology
Cameron Milne Politics
Bethany Lyttle Bus. Studies, Spanish
Harry Hughes Sociology
John Paul Chemistry, Geography, IT, Music
Lisa Niklas Spanish
Dominic Ryder Classical Civilisation
Nicholas West Theory of Knowledge
Goetz Frentzen Design & Technology, French
Georgina Ottaway English
Special Prizes
Nicholas Crow James Merrick Cup
Robert Gereke EAL
Elizabeth Evans Art
Olivia Fisher Graph. Communications
Joshua Boswell Drama, Keith Smith Historical Essay
Kate Parry History
William Bevan Services to Drama
Mark McBrien Maths, Physics, Religious Studies
Niko Wojtynia Lovel Prize for English Literature
Mathew Johnson Media Studies
Henry Maybury Instrumental Music
Lewis Allsop Media Studies
Samuel Phillips Tony Churnside Prize for Music
Louis Chaudron PE
Technology
Georgina Cutcliffe Drama
Frederick Anderson Garnett Prize for Creative Music
Year 11 Afra Ekert Baulcott Organ Prize,
Sophie Osborne Biology, Bus. Studies, English, Physics Marsh Cup for Musician of the Year
Christian Ceislik Chemistry, Geography, History, Maths Katrina Scharf Services to the Choir
Benjamin Huang EAL Sophie Osborne GCSE Science Coursework Prize
Michael Kelly French William Mapstone Talbot/Woodard Science Prize
Anna Welzel German Christian Cieslik Talbot/Woodard Science Prize
Jennifer Griffiths Graph. Communications Steven Quinlan Colin Russell Prize for Endeavour
Collette Riggs IT, Music in Biology
Raphaela Ring Latin Christopher Johnson Mark Willis Science Prize
Joel Maddock-James Media Studies Jennifer Eckoff Gledhill O.E. Prize for Leadership,
Joanne Bowen PE Initiative and Excellence
Ryan Morley Drama Emmie Hughes The O. E. President's Cup
William Jackson Spanish Harry Clewlow Information Technology Cup
Lower Sixth Vivian Grudde Ollier Award for German
Ella Walker Art, Sociology Wilson Chan Contribution to the International Life of
Stephanie Newport-Booth Biology the College
Zoe Evans Bus. Studies Emily Wicks Sportswoman of the Year
Fabian Prinz Chemistry Jordan Evans Sportsman of the Year
Harry Clewlow Design & Technology, IT Frederick Herzog Jebson Shield,
James McCarthy Economics, Politics Headmaster's Prize: Head Boy
Enya Maclean-Roberts English, Gen. Studies Rebecca Britton Headmaster's Prize: Head Girl

11
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Common Room Notes
New arrivals for the start of the academic year 2009/10
were noted in our last report. As the year progressed a
number of teachers came in for longish stints in order to
cover for colleagues who were ill, or as in one case, on
maternity leave. We congratulate both Judith Hibbott
and James Baggaley on the new arrivals in their
households. For the Summer Term we were pleased to
welcome Visesh Sahai from Scindia School, Gwalior to
work in the Business Education Department, which took
up the whole of his summer vacation. He arrived back in
India after the start of the new academic year there.
Just after the start of the Michaelmas Term 2010 we
were saddened to learn of the death of former Chaplain,
Trevor Harvey. During the Lent Term Ann Hendriksen
decided that she would not return to teaching after
illness, and we wish her all happiness in her retirement.
Marilyn Amako was also planning to take retirement, and
we were all deeply saddened when she lost the battle
with her illness. In July Maddy Lin, James Bell and Jane
Fellows moved on after their year here and we wish them
well as their careers progress elsewhere. Other leavers
in July included Anwen Pugh, who wished to pursue her
hockey career more intensely, and Dionne Walker-Smith,
who took up an exciting teaching post in Dubai. We wish
them well in their new endeavours. July also brought the
retirements of Ros McCarthy after twenty-one years in
Support for Learning, as teacher and then as Head of
Department, and Terry Howitt-Dring after four decades
teaching in and leading the Design and Technology
Department. Tributes to all of them can be found below.
Common Room also wishes to honour those retiring
from the non-teaching staff, which included Brian Davies
and Lydia Tabbron, the latter after thirty-four years at the
school, during which she fulfilled a number of prominent
President of the Common Room, Graham Hutchinson (left) and Paul
Goodwin presenting Lydia Tabbron with a memento of her thirty-four years
at the College
12
roles, such as Housemother and Front Desk
Receptionist. New arrivals in September 2010 were
Peter Bates (Maths), Aldona Done (Romanian), Indika
Bolana (IT Gap Student), Tom Haynes (IT Gap Student),
Gemma Heald (English and Drama), Tom Hurst
(Design), Elsie Luo (Chinese Gap teacher), Jo Manion
(Learning Support), Rebecca Morris (Games), Alex
Murphy (PE), Tom Rylands (Shooting) and James
Underhill (English).
GH
Arrivals
Grace Ansell
Grace first came to the College in
October 2006 as a visiting teacher of
IB Chinese A1. This year she has
begun teaching in the EAL
department, which has brought back
many happy memories of EAL
teaching in Taiwan. She was born,
brought up and educated in Taiwan,
achieving her Masters in Linguistics,
and taught at various language
schools in the capital city of Taipei.
Alongside teaching, she also enjoyed
the opportunities of being an
interpreter and translator for different
academic conferences as well as
commercial industries in Taiwan. In
1999, she and her husband Simon,
and sons Oliver and Dominic, moved
back to the U.K. Shropshire has been
a great place for her to put down her
roots again as she has always enjoyed
walking in the countryside. She is an
enthusiastic gardener who also enjoys
books, music and wildlife. She loves
the summer months in Britain as they
remind her of those cool and pleasant
autumnal days in Taiwan, though with
less rain!
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Kevin Ho there he successfully launched a Bursary Fund which is

currently supporting more than twenty-eight children.
Nick is also a board member for World Emergency Relief
and Deputy Chairman of the Institute of Development
Professionals in Education. Nick has four children and
four step-children and states his main aim in life as
‘survival’! To relax Nick loves the gym, water-colour
painting, fine wines and cooking, although not all at the
same time. He remains passionate about issues of
justice and social inclusion.

Kevin was born and raised in Birmingham, and has

stayed around the Midlands all his life. His parents are
originally from Hong Kong, but migrated to UK for a
business opening in the 1970s. He studied Chemistry at
the University of Warwick, graduating with a Honours
Masters degree. Although there was an intention to go
straight into further studies, he wanted to take a gap year
to do something different. The opportunity arose in
February to take up the position of Laboratory
Technician within the Chemistry Department. Since he
started in the Summer Term he has also taken on extra
responsibility as a technician in the Design and
Technology Department. His ambition is to take up
further studies in the field of Forensic Science and work
in this field in the future. But at the moment he is just
enjoying the experience and atmosphere of the College.
Nick Pettingale Departures
Nick started at the College on 1st November 2009 as Ann Hendriksen
Director of Development, to initiate a development
programme which would enable the College to fulfill its Ann, who taught at Ellesmere for sixteen years, retired in
long term vision. This required starting a whole new early 2010. She brought warmth and kindness to her
department which would build close relationships with teaching, both in EAL and Support for Learning, and her
past students and create ways in which both they and students appreciated her care and her keen intelligence.
the parent body could more fully engage with the College We met in Jordan and our friendship has been valuable
of today. He originally trained as a Graphic Designer, and and lasting. Ann did her English degree at Birmingham
during this part of his career visited friends in Ethiopia at University, and having followed this with an EFL
the time of the ’85 famine. The experience set him on a Certificate, taught abroad for a great deal of her teaching
path of fundraising and charity work. After helping to career. She taught in Cyprus, Africa, Holland and Jordan
establish two charities in Ethiopia, and a UK-based and her two children, Nicole and Jamie, were born in
charity focused on disadvantaged young people in the Africa. Jamie - an OE - now runs a Game Reserve in
Midlands, he renewed his business career, operating at Kenya, and Nicole worked for several years for Medecins
board level in three national and international Sans Frontieres in interesting places, so both children
companies. More recently Nick was a consultant have inherited their mother’s love of exotic cultures and
trainer/mentor for a large London-based charity helping adventure. Ann trained with the Dyslexia Institute to gain
the homeless, and latterly set up a Charitable her Diploma in teaching those with Specific Learning
Foundation at Stamford Endowed Schools in Difficulties and, with her knowledge of linguistics and
Lincolnshire. After funding some small capital projects phonics, became a valued member of both the

13
 The Ellesmerian 2010
departments she worked for. She is a talented linguist
and her command of French, Dutch and Arabic are
enviable. We all, colleagues past and present, wish Ann
health and happiness in her retirement.
RAM
Terry Howitt-Dring
My first contact with Terry was an evening telephone call
from him in 1995, asking me if I would like a job in his
department. I accepted, and from that moment began a
close working relationship. He ran his Design
Department in a quiet and efficient manner, whilst always
having time for the views and opinions of others. He
strived for the very best results from everyone in a firm
yet thoughtful and caring way.
Terry arrived at Ellesmere in 1970. The College was then
a very different place, and the boys’ craft department, as
it was then known, needed someone like Terry to bring it
up to date. He was a good organizer, manager and
communicator and he needed a bigger stage. Eventually
he persuaded the powers-that-be that a larger and more
comprehensively equipped designing and making area
was essential. So was born the Hollway Design Centre.
Terry’s good planning ensured that most machines,
processes and materials were available and able to cope
with almost any design project that a student might have
in mind. He was a very conscientious tutor, patient,
sympathetic and caring. Many pupils will be able to thank
Terry for some thoughtful advice and guidance. Indeed I
am sure that his colleagues will also have benefited from
his wisdom and level-headedness. He was encouraging
and yet he would urge caution if it were needed. He was
a valued and trusted member of the pastoral system in
Woodard and St Cuthbert’s, and a loyal supporter of
their functions. He was always well-prepared for parents’
evenings, heartening, suggesting tactics and sometimes
telling fortunes. A great promoter of Ellesmere, he
always found time to talk to visitors, and he was happy
for his children, Holly, Anna and Miles to experience life
at Ellesmere in their turn.
14
He served as the College’s External Examinations
Officer for many years, a job which became more and
more involved each year as the number and complexity
of examination choices grew. All this he was able to
manage with his quirky mix of analogue and digital
technologies with great effect and efficiency, tempered
with his usual good humour.
At heart Terry was a true DT teacher. He loved all sorts
of toys, including grown-up ones such as uncommon
motor cars - anything that moved whirred, clanked or
buzzed, needed oiling, winding up, driving or controlling,
would catch his interest. He loved sharing these with his
pupils and he was always delighted when a boy brought
in his latest toy to show ‘Sir’. My abiding memory of Terry
will be seeing him up on the golf course with two or three
excited youngsters, flying a radio-controlled aircraft to
great whoops of joy. I cherish the memories of my time
working with Terry, the ribbing and the banter, and I know
he will be much missed by so many. After forty years as
Mr Ellesmere we all wish Terry and his wife Andrea a
well-deserved and happy retirement.
Frederick Williams
Ros McCarthy
In July 2010 we said farewell to Ros McCarthy, who
retired after twenty-one years of service at Ellesmere
College. After graduating from Leicester University in
1971 she worked in schools in Nottingham, Gutersloh in
Germany, Amman in Jordan and as a supply teacher in
Shropshire. She taught English and Art for many years
and then developed an interest in Specific Learning
Difficulties, gaining a Diploma in this area and then an
MA. Arriving in Ellesmere in September 1989 she
quickly showed her skills as a teacher and her extensive
knowledge of dyslexia, and was appointed to the post of
Head of Learning Support eight years later on the
retirement of Olwen Purslow. Whilst in charge Ros
expanded the provision of Support for Learning at the
College and her knowledge, pleasant manner and sense
of humour were always greatly appreciated by her
department, pupils, parents and College staff. She has
worked extensively as a Diagnostic Assessor for
Dyslexia, in and out of College, and is also an
experienced CReSTeD Inspector.

Outside the classroom she has been a great champion
of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold programme and led many
successful canoeing expeditions to France and more
recently to Canada. Pastoral care was also an area at
which she excelled and many girls will remember her
fondly as a caring tutor and Assistant Housemistress in
St Oswald’s and St Aidan’s, posts she held for eleven
years. As the co-ordinator of the Student Council she
was also able to provide a platform for many students to
air their views. Running a department of up to ten mostly
part-time staff was often challenging, but Ros always
approached the organisation of the department, and the
Learning Support Conference which she introduced to
the College calendar, with calmness and
professionalism. New legislation which impacted upon
teaching and assessment was always embraced
enthusiastically, and the provision of examination access
arrangements has helped many Ellesmere students over
the years and allowed them to fulfil their potential. In
retirement she hopes to travel extensively with her
husband, visit her three sons often, and indulge in her
passion for France, cooking, reading, painting,
gardening, canoeing and cycling. In addition, she will
continue to play an active role in dyslexia assessment
and may well be a guest speaker at one of our Learning
Support Conferences in the future. We wish her
happiness, good health and a well-deserved rest.
JH
Anwen Pugh
Anwen started at the College in 2006, initially as a Girls’
Games Coach. A year later she joined the PE
Department on a part-time basis and was able to
complete her Qualified Teacher Status. Anwen has a
great love for Hockey and devoted a lot of time to the
development of Girls’ Hockey at the College. She
15
The Ellesmerian 2010
coached many of the girls during her time with us and
brought in her experience of coaching and playing at
Shropshire County level. She played a huge role in other
sports also, such as Netball, Athletics, Rounders and
Girls’ Cricket. Anwen was involved in other Staff
activities too. Being a talented singer and actress, she
helped in House Singing and took part in the staff
production of Thriller. Anwen leaves us to devote more
time to Hockey and we wish her all the best.
Dionne Walker-Smith
In September 2007 Mrs Dionne Walker-Smith joined the
English and Media Studies Departments and
immediately established herself as a lively, positive
colleague with an energetic approach to her work both in
and out of the classroom. With expertise in two subject
areas, Dionne brought a special flavour to her teaching,
guiding students of all ages to an appreciation of the rich
variety of ways in which texts could be approached. In
her extra-curricular life, Dionne was a formidable hockey
player with a keen (participatory) interest in a wide range
of sports and adventurous activities. She led the Silver
Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions with typical energy and
expertise. Dionne has left the College to take up a
teaching post in Qatar, where she joins her husband who
has been working there for some months in the building
industry. We wish her the very best of luck in her
adventurous career decision and look forward to hearing
news from hotter climes than those enjoyed in North
Shropshire.
Colleagues For One Year Only
James Bell
James arrived on a twelve-month placement from July
2009, working within the heart of the College as a
technician in the IT Support Department. This formed
part of his studies towards a Network Engineering
degree at Staffordshire University. Before attending
university James studied ‘A’ Levels in Physics, History, IT
and General Studies at Westwood College in Leek,
Staffordshire. He lived at the College for the duration of
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Jane joined the College and the Business Education

Dept on a one-year contract to teach Business and IT in
September 2009. She soon established herself with a
professional approach to her teaching, and became
actively involved in various aspects of College life,
including the Young Enterprise Group and later on the
Duke of Edinburgh Award programme. She also helped
with the sporting life of the College, including Hockey
and Netball, and even found time to star in the staff
music video of Thriller. Jane has moved on to teach in a
girls’ school in North Wales and we wish her well in her
teaching career.
SBM
Maddy Lin

his placement year, rapidly making himself an all but

indispensable member of the busy IT team. James also
flourished as a member of the Ellesmere community and
was well liked and respected by all of his colleagues,
some of whom became good friends. He made the most
of the local environment of his placement, taking up
swimming and spending weekends exploring
Snowdonia. He is a keen Rallying enthusiast, following
the World Rally Championship and British Touring Car
Championship.
NB

Jane Fellows

It was Maddy’s misfortune to come to Ellesmere the year

the UK Border Agency changed its procedures; for
Maddy, like so many thousands of others, the result was
a delay of several months! However, once she arrived,
Maddy settled quickly into life in Ellesmere and was
involved in many areas of College life. Her primary role
was to teach Chinese ‘A’ Level and GCSE to Chinese
students at the school. She also taught Chinese to
several non-Chinese students, some of whom will be
able to take GCSE soon, and she started a Chinese Club
for anyone interested in learning a little Chinese. Maddy
also worked in Lower School as a teaching assistant to
the youngest class. In addition she helped with a cookery
club and in the Library. It was great to have Maddy with
us at Ellesmere and we hope she enjoyed her stay.
Since her return to China we have heard that next year
she is to be married. We wish her the very best.
CA

16
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Marilyn Lloyd Amako

Born November 20 1951; passed away June 21st 2010
There are so many good things to say about Marilyn, it is hard to know where
to start.
Before we mention her personal qualities, we should pause a minute to
recognise that Marilyn was a gifted linguist who was qualified as a French
translator, was brought up with the Welsh language and was practically at native
speaker level in Japanese. She was also an accomplished pianist. Marilyn
worked in France for two years as well as in the UK, before living for over
seventeen years in Japan, where Hiroshi, her son, was born. On the death of her
husband she returned to the UK and worked at Ellesmere College for eight
years, where she worked in the EAL and Support for Learning Departments. It
is not an understatement to say that Marilyn loved her job, especially her work
with the international
students. She was a
great teacher and a
wonderful colleague.
Marilyn was the kind
of person who not only always looked for the positive
but also found a moment to mention it, whether this
was about people or situations. All through her illness,
even to the very last days, she would always say; “But
there have been some positive things too,” and then
she would enumerate the good things that had
happened. Looking back over the summer of 2009,
when she discovered the cancer had returned, and her
treatment had to start again, she would comment, “I
had a lovely summer.” Marilyn and her son Hiroshi
Marilyn went further than the rest of us to show the
students they were valued. Every summer the leavers from China, Japan and other distant nations would be
invited to a dinner at her house. She would spend the day preparing Japanese food and that evening was always
the best EAL event of the year. Marilyn appreciated students for whatever was good in them. She could see
straight through to the best in them, and they knew she valued them for who they are.
Marilyn always remembered:
to congratulate someone, to
enquire about a problem or
someone who was sick, or to
ask whether something
previously talked about was
going OK. If she noticed
unhappiness in a friend, she
would subtly support them.
Marilyn was the best of
friends – she was good
company, a great listener and
had unerring insight. She
never failed to say how much
she appreciated her friends.
She made them feel as if they
had a fan club. Marilyn set
us all an example of how a
good human being should
behave.
When Marilyn gave you a
smile, you felt immediately Marylin (third from right) with the Year 13 Leavers (plus some friends and
that your day had improved. relatives) at the party she hosted annually in her home
CA

17
 The Ellesmerian 2010
House Notes - Meynell
Housemaster:
Mr I L Roberts
House Tutors:
Mr R P Boswell, Miss H E Coney, Miss A C Darrant, Mr P J
Hayes, Mr R P Heaton, Mrs D Lensing, Mr S B Mullock, Mrs S
Phillips, Dr J K Ripley, Mrs D Walker-Smith, Dr I G Tompkins,
Mr I L Williams
Captains of House:
R L Hayes and L Nanu
The start of the year saw the appointment of Rhys
Hayes and Luana Nanu as House Captains. We also
welcomed Miss H Coney as a new tutor in the House.
The first competitions of the year were the 6-a-side
Football competitions. Unfortunately the two girls’
competitions were cancelled due to so many girls having
other commitments. However, the boys did play all their
games. Our Junior Boys played well, winning two out of
their three games and eventually finishing second. The
Senior Boys won only one of their games in a tough
competition and finished third overall.
Another sporting competition this term was the House
Squash. The Juniors played Woodard in their semi-final
and narrowly lost. The Seniors faired better though and
comfortably beat Talbot in their semi-final before going
on to win the final against Wakeman-Lambart.
Outside Edge
Winning play at the
House Play Festival
Above left: The cast
Above right: Dominick Coppinger
Above far right: Nick West and Charles Coppinger
Right: Luke Taylor and Tom Philips
18
This term saw a new competition, the Senior House Quiz
Challenge. Mr Bambridge was Question-master in our
semi-final against Talbot; we didn’t have quite enough to
beat them and eventually lost an entertaining
competition to a more knowledgeable team.
By Half Term it was time for the House Play Festival. This
year our play was Outside Edge, a comedy by Richard
Harris. Matthew Steggles was the director and he did an
amazing job with an excellent cast. We went on to win
Best Actress – Rebecca Britton; Best Supporting Actor –
Tom Lee; Best Cross Dresser – Nick West; Best
Romantic Moment – Nick West and Charles Coppinger.
Overall we scored the highest and were crowned Best
House Play.
The Michaelmas Term drew to a close with the Girls’
House Hockey and Boys’ House Rugby Competitions.
The Junior Girls went on to win all three of their matches,
crowning themselves champions in this competition. The
Senior Girls couldn’t quite match the Juniors and finished
second to a very good Wakeman-Lambart team. On the
Rugby field our Junior team easily beat Wakeman-
Lambart in the semi-final before going on to demolish
Talbot in the final 41 - 15. The Inter team also did well,
narrowly beating Talbot in an entertaining semi-final
before going on to win the final 24 - 7 against Wakeman-
Lambart. The Senior team faced a very tough semi-final
against Woodard. They played their socks off but in the
end Woodard proved too strong, beating us 21 - 0. We
went on to beat Talbot comfortably for third place in the
play-off.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
After Christmas the first competition
was House Basketball. The Junior
Boys won one out of three and finished
third overall. Our Junior Girls went one
better and finished second. The Senior
Boys won one, drew one and lost one
in a close competition, finishing second
overall. Our Senior Girls finished third
overall.
Midway through the term saw two
major competitions take place, House
Cross Country and House Singing. In
the Cross Country our Juniors were
fourth overall; the Inters were first and
the Seniors were fourth, which meant
we came fourth overall. However, Above: Housemaster Ian Roberts and team-mate Lydia
special mention should go to George Cave, who was
the first runner back out of the entire school, very well Lam look on as Viola Grosvenor controls the ball
done! Below: Zoe Evans on the attack!
The House Singing Competition had a colours theme,
meaning all the Houses had to choose songs associated
with colours. Our Unison was Michael Jackson’s Black
and White, while our Part-Song was Sorry Seems To Be
The Hardest Word by the band Blue. Matt Steggles did
an excellent job of conducting the Unison and we were a
bit hard done by to be given last place on the night.
Howvever, our Part-Song blew the audience away and
we came a very justifiable first, which was all down to the
hard work Henry Maybury put the Part-singers through to
learn their words and actions.
Just after Half Term we began the House Debating
Competitions. Our Junior team did particularly well,
beating Wakeman-Lambart in their semi-final before
narrowly losing out to Talbot in the final. The Senior team
came up against a strong Woodard team in the semi-final
and couldn’t match the exploits of the Junior team.
Following on from the House Debating came the Boys’ winners. In the House Football our Juniors won two and
House Hockey Competition. The Juniors beat Talbot in drew one, making them overall champions. The Seniors
the semi-final and then went on to win the final against found it a bit more tough going, winning one and losing
Woodard 2 - 1. The Seniors unfortunately lost their semi- two, finishing third overall.
final 1 - 2 on penalties and then lost the third place play- The Summer Term began with the House Volleyball
off by the same score. The Lent Term ended with the competition. We played three matches and over those
Girls’ House Netball and Boys’ House Football three matches won the most sets and therefore were
Competitions. The girls fielded an A and a B team. Both crowned champions. House Tennis was played over
teams played admirably and we ended up overall three rounds, Boys, Girls and Mixed. The boys came
second in their competition, the girls comfortably
won their round and finally our mixed teams also won
their competition, which meant we finished
comfortable winners overall. There were mixed
results and turnouts for the Swimming competition
and we finished fourth in the Senior Boys’
competition, while the Senior Girls’ and Middle
School competitions didn’t take place due to lack of
numbers, which is a shame. Senior House Tug-o-
War was a new competition this year. This took place
at the bottom of the terraces. We comfortably won
our semi-final before narrowly losing out to Woodard
in the final.
House Cricket took place towards the end of term.
Our Seniors managed to lose their semi-final to
Woodard, which was a bit of an upset. The Juniors
faired better, beating Wakeman-Lambart in the semi-
final before losing to a strong Talbot team in the final.
The term drew to a close with House Golf and House
Shooting. Our Golfers played very well and finished
first, Cameron Murdoch gaining the top score with a
Carlo Leilich and Toby Madaus in action against Talbot in round of 33. On the shooting range we proved to be on
the House Football target and also finished first.

19
 The Ellesmerian 2010
The final day of term was the annual Speech Day and
Prize-giving. The following Meynell pupils all received
work prizes; in Year 10 Joseph Haigh, Bethany Lyttle and
Robert Gereke; in Year 11 Christian Cieslik, Joel
Maddock-James and Joanne Bowen; in Year 12 Zoe
Evans, James McCarthy and Robert Lau; in Year 13
Matthew Steggles, Wilson Chan, Harry Hughes, Lisa
Niklas and Nick West. Special prizes also went to Henry
Maybury, Sam Phillips, Katrina Scharf, Christian Cieslik,
Emmie Hughes, Wilson Chan and Rebecca Britton.
Reflecting on the year I think it has been once again a
successful and entertaining year. We continue to keep
the good name of Meynell burning brightly through our
enthusiasm and desire to win as many competitions as
possible. I already look forward to next year and wish our
departing House Captains and leavers all the best for the
future. Finally I would also like to wish Mrs Walker-Smith
all the best in her new job in Qatar.
ILR

What a try!
From a pass by
Angus Cross,
James Latter runs
halfway down the
field to score

20

House Notes - Talbot
Housemaster:
Mr L C Bambridge
House Tutors:
Mr M Coats, Mrs Z J Fisher,
Mrs V M Howle, Mr G Hutchinson, Miss L Killen,
Mr R J Macintosh, Mr D J Morgan, Mr H B Orr, Mr G Owen,
Mrs J E Purcell, Mrs C Westwood
Captains of House:
M D Jones, S M Lesch
‘The King is dead, long live the King’. A much over-used
saying perhaps, but I believe that it perfectly illustrates
that whilst last Christmas marked the end of Dr
Chatterjee’s hugely successful six-year reign and the
beginning of my tenure, the message to those pupils
who constitute Talbot House was very much the same
throughout 2009-10. The fact that I am able in these
notes to reflect on another very productive nine months
is testament to their willingness to commit unstintingly
to the House’s ethos under both my predecessor and
myself, which I feel is perfectly encapsulated by Vince
Lombardi’s oft misquoted utterance, “Winning isn’t
everything, wanting to win is”.
But enough of the philosophy, it is time to move on to
talk of triumphs, of which there were many. The first
highlight of the year for me was Streuth, the Talbot
House play, which was directed with great aplomb by
Charlotte Shearer, a performance which deservedly
earned her the Best Director award. The whole cast put
on a splendid show, from those with a major part such
as Dominic Simpson, to others whose roles were
smaller but no less memorable. Danil Nasybullin’s role
as a charismatic bus driver was perhaps the stand-out
example.
The first term was also notable for the success of the
Talbot team in the inaugural House Quiz challenge.
Having swept aside the challenge of Meynell in the semi-
final, the stage was set for a clash of the heavyweights,
with Woodard offering stiff opposition in the final.
Winners of the Junior Debating Competition
From left: Dominic Simpson, Peter Nelhans
and Joe Pescod
21
The Ellesmerian 2010
However Will Bevan’s impressive knowledge of The Lord
of the Rings eventually proved decisive in a tense tie-
breaker, and the title was ours.
In the Lent Term we again achieved success away from
the sports field with an excellent display in the Junior
Debating competition, with the trio of Dominic Simpson,
Joe Pescod and Peter Nelhans successfully arguing that
‘Abortion is better than adoption’ and ‘There are no bad
children, just bad parents’ to become champions. The
Seniors also performed very creditably in proposing the
motion that ‘Socialism works better than capitalism’, and
special mention should be made of Ludwig Schinzing,
who stepped into the breach at very short notice, but did
an admirable job on what was his first ever appearance
in the debating arena.
Victorious Talbot Junior Cricketers
The House’s sports teams have been no less successful
over the three terms, with a number of triumphs to
report. The biggest sporting event of the year in terms
of numbers participating is the House Cross Country,
which takes place in the Lent Term, and the House
turned out in force. Indeed special mention should be
made of Joe Johnson, who declined the opportunity
afforded to him to miss the race because of medical
reasons, and duly completed the course, thus
contributing valuable points to a team which emerged as
overall winners. Sam and Alex Owen were also key
figures in this success, with Sam winning the Junior
event and Alex finishing sixth in the Intermediate race.
There were several other notable triumphs over the
course of the year, and in most cases they involved
people stepping up to the plate and making sacrifices for
the good of the House, going that little bit further to make
things happen. Few who saw Matthew Macintosh’s
decisive penalty flick in the Senior House Hockey semi-
final against Meynell would have imagined that it was
one of the first he had ever attempted, but when the time
came he stood tall, and this enabled us to go on and win
the final against Woodard thanks to two goals from star
man Gareth Da Costa. Then there was James Austin,
plucked from a cricket practice without warning, and
thrust into the spotlight as a key component of the Junior
 The Ellesmerian 2010
House Basketball team, who secured a third
successive victory in a thrilling clash with Meynell
which earned them the title. Our House Swimming
team had a number of late withdrawals because of
illness and exams, but those who were available
swam to the point of near exhaustion to ensure that
we competed in all the races, and we duly emerged
with a crushing victory over the other three Houses.
Of course there were times when we went into the
competition as favourites, and never more so than
in the Junior House Cricket. However with this
status comes the pressure to live up to
expectations, and the boys certainly rose to the
challenge, easily underlining their superiority when
it mattered most.
Of course I cannot begin to suggest that we won
every competition which we entered – this is clearly
an impossible feat, with so much talent in other
Houses as well as our own. However my target was
always that we should finish in the top two, and we
did manage this on numerous occasions. Notable
examples were the Senior Girls’ Basketball team
and the Senior Football team, as well as the Junior
Junior Basketball Team, winners of the Inter-House
Championship
The heroic - and successful - Swimming Team
From left: Ludwig Schinzing, Owain Roberts, Martin
Jones, Raj Basu and Matt Bulanda
The Senior Hockey Team, who beat Woodard in the final
thanks to goals by Gareth da Costa
Boys’ Rugby side. What was pleasing about all three of
these teams was that they might easily have crumbled
and thrown in the towel, having fallen behind against
strong opposition, but they kept their heads up and were
rewarded with a modicum of success in each arena.
This characteristic was equally in evidence in a team
who did not get anywhere near a top two finish, namely
the Senior Rugby team. They found themselves hugely
outmatched in all three of their games, but led by
inspirational captain Martin Jones they refused to give in
even with the odds stacked so heavily against them.
The year ended with the traditional Speech Day and
Prize-giving, and it was pleasing to see so many Talbot
pupils gain recognition for their efforts in the academic
arena. The list is as follows:
Year 9 Jordan Bulanda (Music)
Peter Nelhans (Religious Studies)
Year 10 Rory Bothwell (Art)
Goetz Frentzen (D.T., French)
Matthew Johnson (Media Studies)
Year 11 Benjamin Huang (EAL)
Michael Kelly (French)
Collette Riggs (I.T., Music)
Year 12 Christina Lieberoth-Leden (French)
Year 13 Elizabeth Evans (Art, Media Studies)
Yaroslav Storozhik (EAL)
Chris Johnson (Biology, Chemistry)
Mark Willis (Science Cup)
Stella Lesch (German)
Martin Jones (PE)
Will Bevan (Services to Drama)
There have been many instances when I have, in my
short time as Housemaster of Talbot, felt proud to be
responsible for such a pleasant and well-rounded group
of pupils. They have demonstrated many qualities in a
vast array of different areas, and have also found the
heart to contribute towards the sponsorship of a young
girl in the Dominican Republic through the the Plan UK
organisation. Of course there are things which we will
22
 The Ellesmerian 2010
seek to improve in 2010-11 (not least of which will be the
need for a dazzling choreography routine to go with our
House Song!), but overall I can look to the future with
confidence that the House will continue to thrive and
make its mark on the Competitive House stage.
Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank my
House Captains, Martin Jones and Stella Lesch, whose
enthusiasm and organisational skills have been vital to
the House’s successes in 2009-10. They also both
spoke with great eloquence at the annual House dinner,
and I have no doubt that that they will go on to great
things in the future.
LCB

The talented cast of Streuth

Above: Hanna Swan and
Amber Cauchi

Above: Megan Bray

Left above: Stella Lesch
Left: Jens Lee
Right: Will Bevan (above) and
Dominic Simpson
Below: The cast in rehearsal
Below right: Jonathan Pescod

23
 The Ellesmerian 2010

House Notes - Wakeman-Lambart

Housemaster:
Dr M T Gareh
House Tutors:
Ms S M Abbots, Mr M P Clewlow, Mr J H Cowley,
Mr D W Crawford, Mrs J E Fellows, Miss H L Goss,
Mrs J Heath, Mrs M E Hutchings, Mrs D Joynson-Brooke,
Mr S F W Purcell, Mr P E Swainson, Mr P A Wood
Captains of House:
Vivian Z Grudde and Lawrence T Walters

House play rehearsals were the first thing to occupy the

House with Jo Dapling and Freddie ‘Captain of School’
Herzog cracking the whip early. Close on their heels was House Hockey: the Seniors in action against Woodard
the Junior Boys’ Football in which we came third after
one win and two losses. The House team spirit was
evident from the beginning of term and a good year was
in prospect. Both Vivian and Lawrence were on the case
straight away and I was badgered (by Viv) in to getting
lists sorted even earlier than usual. Team spirit was
again in evidence when we managed to have enough
Junior Girls to field a Football side when most of the girls
were involved in Hockey. Unfortunately, not enough
teams were complete and the competition could not be
played.
The Senior Boys started this year’s Indoor Football very
well with a very composed 8 - 2 win over Woodard. This
was followed by another excellent win 4 - 3 over Talbot
(coming back from 3 - 1 down) and rounded off with a
comprehensive 6 - 1 victory over Meynell. Champions
Junior Rugby team defending their goal-line
yet again!
Our first adventure in the new General Knowledge Quiz
ended with a semi-final defeat at the hands of Woodard.
Lawrence, Freddie, Julie and Enya scored 200 points to
the Woodard team’s 270 in a close-fought battle. Faster
on the buzzer next year! However, we then went on to
beat Meynell 290 points to 150 for third place.
Junior House Squash was also a close-fought affair with
Talbot just beating us 2 matches to 1.
Girls’ Hockey is as strong as ever with the Senior team
beating all three other Houses to win their competition
and the Junior team coming in second place to Meynell
(after beating Woodard and Talbot) who narrowly beat
them 2 - 1 in their competition.
The House Play was certainly the highlight of the term
with all involved putting in a massive effort and achieving House Netball against Woodard
excellence once again. The director, Joe Dapling writes:
“This year Wakeman put on a production of Our Day Out grumpy Mr Briggs and the patient Mrs Kay. Before we
by Willy Russell to be shown at the infamous House Play could blink rehearsals were underway and so was the
Festival. With a funny script, a large cast and an tedious task of learning lines. The cast put an immense
opportunity to cross-dress, this play was perfect for amount of energy into the rehearsals, and a lot was
Wakeman-Lambart House. Audition standards were gained from them because of this. They had to deal with
high, and choosing lead roles was difficult but it was a lot of changes to the set, characters and lines, so all
evident that the correct choice was made, as Lewis credit goes to the cast for putting up with a neurotic
Allsop and Georgina Ottaway fitted the roles of the director!

24
 The Ellesmerian 2010
enough players – a testament to their commitment to the
House. The Senior Girls brushed aside their opposition,
beating Meynell 14 - 2 in the semi-finals and then Talbot
12 - 0 in the final. House Cross-Country was again
strong for us and we won the Merit Cup for the most
pupils taking part. Two second places (Seniors and
Inters) and third place for the Juniors gave us second
place overall. This was again a superb House effort.
House Singing followed swiftly behind, and with the
standard higher than ever we were placed second for the
Unison Song (Black and Gold) and an excellent Part
Song (Yellow) gained us third place overall. Again a
superb effort from the House and thanks again to Mr
Crawford who accompanied every practice and played
the piano in the competition. No other House has his
equal.

The Junior Debating team (G Ottaway, M McBrien

and E Palmer) narrowly lost their semi-final
against Meynell but the Senior team (L Ottaway,
F Herzog and J Eckhoff) were the clear victors in
their opposition to Talbot’s proposal, Socialism is
better than Capitalism.
Boys’ Junior House Hockey was interesting as
A scene from Our Day Out by none of the participants had played Hockey
Willy Russell before which perhaps explained their defeats.
The Senior Team played well and was placed
Performance night came, and as
third overall. House Netball was almost a clean
director I couldn’t have asked for
sweep but a couple of people let us down for the
a more brilliant performance.
B team and that placed us second in the B
Everyone got the lines right, the
competition with two wins and a loss. The A team
energy in the characters was
were first with two wins and a draw which put us
phenomenal and it showed.
second overall by goal difference – a great effort.
Peter von Hoven’s cries of
‘Swimming!’ added improvised The Senior Boys’ Football team improved upon
hilarity, and Freddie Steinebach the girls’ result by winning all three of their
in an apron and mascara made matches to win their competition and with a win,
sure the cross-dressing quota a draw and a loss, the Juniors’ team were placed
was filled. The highly “Yeah but, No but....” third. This was another excellent day for the
anticipated Ellie’s Awards Ruslana Rashchupkina and House.
added confirmation to a great Ella Walker in Our Day Out
performance, with Luca Kuhn
winning Best Supporting Actress for her
role as Carol, the whole cast winning Best
Ensemble and nominations for Lewis
Allsop and Georgina Ottaway for the Best
Actor and Best Actress among numerous
others. A truly fantastic end to a wonderful
production, which was made possible by
the cast, Mr Boswell and Freddie Herzog,
my assistant director. Many thanks to all.”
The House Rugby was a close-fought affair
for the Senior and Intermediate teams,
both of whom ended up runners-up after
playing some excellent rugby. The Senior
team lost to Woodard (22 - 17) and the
Intermediate team lost to Meynell (24 - 7).
House Basketball was the Wednesday
afternoon sport and it didn’t suit the boys.
However, the Junior Girls won their The victorious Senior Debating Team
competition as the only team to turn up with Left to right: Luke Ottaway, Freddie Herzog and Jennifer Eckhoff

25
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Although we had quantity, we lacked a little quality in the our Senior Cricket team knocked this run of results for
first Volleyball match against Talbot but the second week six by comfortably winning the competition with the
saw us leap to an excellent victory against Meynell. Junior team just failing to qualify for the final by one run.
Unfortunately Woodard beat us in their match the
Another successful year for the House – well done
following week, placing us third overall.
everyone.
We were a little out of our depth in the Boys’ Senior MTG
House Swimming but we competed in every event and
managed a very creditable third place.
In difficult conditions for the Senior House Tennis we
managed a victory for the Boys’ team but overall we
ended the competition in third place. Continuing our run
of third places this term, our House Golf team was
squeezed out of second place by two shots. However,

Junior Football Team captained by A Main

Junior Girls’ Hockey Team captained by E Halstead

Inters Rugby Team captained by R Morley

Senior Girls’ Hockey Team captained by V Grudde

Senior Rugby Team captained by L Walters

Senior Football Team captained by

Freddie Anderson

26

House Notes - Woodard
Housemaster:
Mr C R Davies
House Tutors:
Mr J J Baggaley, Mrs S J Bogue
Mr R J Curtis, Mrs J Evans, Mr T C Howitt-Dring,
Mrs R McCarthy, Mrs J R Nicholson, Mrs L A Paton,
Mr K J Paul, Mr R C Paul, Mr D M Roberts,
Mrs H T Scarisbrick
Captains of House:
Z E Haynes and M Verleger
Another excellent and very active year has passed and
the members of Woodard House have once again taken
full advantage of the events, competitions and activities
open to them. The start of the year saw the promotion
of some of last year’s Lower Sixth Formers to prominent
positions within the pupil body of the House. The
position of Captain for the boys went to Moritz Verleger,
ably supported by his Vice Captain Thomas Carr. The
position of Captain for the Girls went to Zoe Haynes, and
her Vice Captain was Emily Wicks. Last year’s Captains
were excellent in every respect so this year the Captains
had a lot to live up to. I need not have worried however,
as it quickly became apparent that the newly appointed
Captain team was highly organised and proactive in their
pursuit of teams to fill the numerous events that occurred
within the first term.
The first event of the year was Inter-House Indoor
Soccer. It was good to witness the new Y9 recruits
eagerly anticipating the matches that lay before them,
although I feel that they were on occasions a little over-
eager. Almost immediately the match got off to an
aggressive start. Initially I was impressed by the pace
and tenacity of our team, but I am afraid that so strong
was the urge to beat Wakeman-Lambart that it was not
long before the referee’s whistle was blown for ‘over
enthusiastic’ tackling from the Woodard side. Such was
the order of the game throughout. The match eventually
ended 3 - 2 in favour of Woodard. There followed a
rather severe debrief from me during the next House
assembly and a reminder to all Junior teams of
what it means to be a Woodard team player!
Thankfully this episode was short-lived and the
following matches restored our sense of pride and
House spirit. The Seniors, despite their valiant
efforts to fend off the Wakeman-Lambert team,
ended their match seven goals down. There were
some great saves by Cameron Milne who threw
himself from one end of the goal to the other, and
around the keeper’s box (no mean feat for a large
man!), and our one goal of the game was scored
by Ricardo Martoccia.
A brand new House event was introduced late in
September – The House Quiz. With Mr D
Crawford as the quizmaster one can imagine the
calibre of the questions that tested the cerebral
mettle of our House Seniors. Our team comprised
Zoe Haynes, Nick Haukohl, Josh Boswell and Niko
Wojtynia. We beat Wakeman-Lambart in the semi-
finals by 270 points to 200 and secured a well-
deserved place in the final where we were pitted
against a very capable Talbot team. A significant
number of spectators turned out to support the
27
The Ellesmerian 2010
Woodard team. As the final got under way the
quizmaster (in this case Mr L Bambridge) fired questions
thick and fast against the clock. They ranged from ‘Who
killed Cock Robin?’ to ‘Who lived in Shrewsbury Abbey in
the Twelfth Century?’ Unbelievably, as the final seconds
ticked away it was clear that the teams had ended the
quiz on 320 points apiece. The quizmaster took it to a
tie-breaker with two final questions. I am sorry to say
that Talbot answered two questions correctly to our one,
so they won by a hairsbreadth!
The Junior and Senior House Squash tournament also
began in mid-October. Our team players included
George Crow who did well to play with a recently injured
(and I believe broken) ankle. He annihilated his
opponent and this was very impressive to watch. It
became even more impressive when after the match had
finished he informed me that he had never played
Squash before! Javier Menendez also followed suit and
this left Milun Dhansingani with little to do as Meynell’s
final player failed to show up (evidently intimidated by our
exceptional performance). The Juniors then met Talbot
in the final. Due to several injuries our team was
seriously weakened. Nevertheless a strong George
Crow showed class in quite a tight loss against Meynell’s
top player in the last set. Although James Preston and
Jake Rogan put in sterling performances, in the end it
was Meynell who snatched the victory. As for the
Seniors, the girls’ game was one of the best I have ever
seen. Valentina Horst had complete control throughout,
and I was most impressed when she saw fit to openly
criticise the foot position of her opponent during a serve.
Sophie Simic’s game against Wakeman-Lambart was
equally fast-paced with some vicious serving that truly
punished her opponent. In the final, Anton Dimroth,
Moritz Verleger, and Nick Haukohl were very impressive.
Moritz played with what he termed ‘a substandard
racquet’ but still pulled out some great rallies against
Tom King of Meynell. Anton’s game against Christian
Sieslik was everything that you would expect to see from
two skilled and seasoned players. Such was the pace of
the match that after just the first few points were made,
both players were exhausted.
The cast of the Woodard House Play,
 The Ellesmerian 2010
The House Drama performance was by far the largest runners with the
event of the Michaelmas Term with regard to time traditionally
consumption. The cast are again to be congratulated on p u n i s h i n g
pulling together another astonishing performance which combination of
revealed the talents of Zoe Haynes as Director. The distance, stiff
House gained a number of points for Best Actor, and competition, and
Best Use of Costume. These performances are now chilly February
legendary amongst the staff and pupils at Ellesmere and weather. All our
it comes as no surprise when it is announced that ‘all runners turned out
tickets are now gone!’ only a couple of days after in good spirits for
becoming available. Once again all Woodard this exhausting
performance members produced a professional level afternoon event in
show that left me which all sections
and their fellow of the House
House members (Juniors, Inters,
full of pride and Seniors) ran. I am
admiration for sure that the
their exceptional Woodard Year 11s
talents. and Sixth Formers
welcomed this
Closely following chance to shake
the Inter-House House Captain Moritz Verleger
off their examination
Drama was the cobwebs and to winning the Senior House Cross
House Hockey, revitalise body and Country
played out once mind to see them
again on a cold, through until Half Term. All runners put in an excellent
wet afternoon in effort and our very own House Captain Moritz Verleger
failing light. was the first Senior runner across the finish line.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y,
despite brave
efforts by our
girls, this was an
unusually difficult
afternoon for us,
Zoe Haynes and Ben Lingard-Lane not least because
with Ellies two of the
Woodard ladies
were ill and still insisted on representing the House.
Steph Newport Booth actually left the field due to illness,
only then to insist on returning to play in the next match.
One has to admire the grit! By the end of the day
Woodard finished the tournament in third position overall.
The approach towards Christmas saw much festivity
amongst the staff and the pupils. Our thanks go to all
friends and relatives who were able to share the mulled
wine and mince pies with us after the Carol Service and
once again my thanks to Mrs McCarthy for her delightful
reading during the service. Following on into the Lent House Singing victory
Term, the Inter-House Cross Country presented the
The Part-song Group with the trophies

Once again this year the House Singing created a stir

long before the event was scheduled to take place.
‘Colours’ was the theme for this year and it spurred
some terrific singing from all Houses. The Woodard
Unison song was Ruby, and the part song the Eva
Cassidy classic Fields of Gold. After last year’s
sensational performances I was not expecting to get a
second chance at the House Singing trophy. Imagine
my delight when once again Woodard came out on top
on the evening and the trophy was again ours for
another year. All credit to Josh Boswell and Ben
Lingard-Lane for pulling the House together in perfect
harmony. I hope that in the future we will be able to
record the part-songs as they certainly warrant it – the
standard is now at least at professional level!
The Debating team did the House proud again. The
Junior team comprising Sophie Osborne, Daisy Clarke
The Junior Girls’ House Hockey team and Kate Parry put forward a forceful argument that had
obviously been well-researched and was delivered with
28
 The Ellesmerian 2010

The Senior Debating Team of Niko Wojtynia,

Josh Boswell and Nick Haukohl The Junior Basketball Team looking like winners before
their final match

surprising then that I have awarded more Junior House

Colours this year to pupils in Y9 and Y10 in particular
than at any point during the past four years. Well done
Juniors, keep it up!
The late spring weather provided a very pleasant
backdrop for a number of Competitive House events,
most notably the sports day (this year run as a tug ‘o’
war). This was highly competitive as always but all
teams maintained their usual high standards of dress
and conduct on the field and Woodard made Competitive
House history by beating Meynell in the final ‘tug’ of the
day to become the first ever Competitive House to win
the Inter-House Tug ’o’ War contest!
The Junior Debating Team of Sophie Osborne, I know that we all owe a great deal to our House
Daisy Clarke and Kate Parry Captains, Moritz and Zoe, and their Vice Captains, Tom
and Emily, for carrying the House through to 2010. They
have my sincere thanks in appreciation for all that they
confidence and panache. Although the opposing House have done so well together.
bombarded the Woodard team with difficult questions
Woodard defended with a passion. Unfortunately Finally, I must apologise if I have omitted to mention any
success on this occasion did not come our way. The member of the House in this report. If I did this report
Senior team was Josh Boswell (a solid debater if ever would amount to nothing more than a very extensive list
there was one, and fresh from debating at the ‘Model and would make for boring reading. I suppose it is a sign
United Nations’ in the Hague), Niko Wojtynia and Nick of just how full and busy the Competitive House calendar
Haukohl. These pillars of the Ellesmere debating is that I cannot remember every single achievement, no
community put in a terrific effort and a very entertaining matter how hard I try. I extend my thanks and
debate against Wakeman. Sadly Woodard lost the appreciation to all House members, their families and
debate in the final due to a technicality. Even so the friends who continue to support us and be a part of this
effort was admirable! flourishing and rewarding team that is Woodard House.
The annual Woodard House formal dinner took place in CD
early March and I was delighted with the
support shown by so many guests again this
year. The evening was a great success, for
which most of the credit, as always, rests with
the pupils, and of course the House Captains
who gave excellent speeches, reminding us all
of many of the best moments from the
Woodard competitive calendar to date. Our
guests were treated to a rendition of our part-
song from the House Singing Contest. The
legendary musical skills of Mr Paul and Mrs
Bogue were greatly appreciated. The Lent
Term rounded off nicely with the Woodard
Junior Basketball team winning in the final,
and a very entertaining Hockey match against
Talbot that saw us through to the final, thanks
to a shot from Elliot Rogan that found a way
through to the back of the goal. The efforts of
the Junior section of the House this year have
been magnificent and very visible. Hardly Inaugural winners of the Tug O’ War Contest!

29
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Pupil Notes - Lower School
Celebrating our 10th Anniversary with Head of Lower School
Sharon Owen are (from left) Sebastian Dewhurst, Nathan Bulanda,
Natasha Foster and Rosie Holland
It was wonderful to welcome everyone on Speech Day to
celebrate the end of the academic year in Lower School.
Following our small celebration in Lower School, parents
and pupils moved on to the strawberries and champagne
reception on the main school terraces. (Obviously
champagne was for the adults!). The sun shone and it
was a truly memorable occasion to mark the end of a
super academic year.
The end of an academic year is a time for reflection. It’s
good to look back and see all that has been achieved.
2009 /2010 has been a good year in Lower School. The
Lower School community contains one hundred and
eighty-two pupils. It is a busy place where growing
young people enjoy lessons and activities. Each pupil
has an individual personality, following programmes that
aim to challenge and inspire. Whilst writing end-of-term
reports I spent some time considering each pupil in turn.
I then attempted to encapsulate their educational journey
into a sentence or two. It was a good feeling to realise
that I know them all very well. The teachers and I have
Making the most of the snow are (from left)
Thomas Gereke, Anthony Bailey and Jonathan Bailey
30
been through the natural highs and
challenges with them as they have arisen
throughout the year. I thought about the
children new to the school, the pupils who
have joined at stages as the year has
progressed. I have been proud to see the way
in which our established children welcomed
and absorbed them into our busy school life.
The Years 3 and 4 children are full of play and
excitement. Everything is both completely
amazing and enthralling or absolute
devastation can reign if they have a tiff with
friends. The Years 5 and 6 pupils begin to
establish themselves as the year develops, in
areas such as sport, music and drama, and
their activity preferences really begin to show.
The Year 7 group have their early-year
struggles at times, as they are expected to
move on from completely playful learning to a
more mature approach to their studies. By the
end of the year they manage this very well.
We begin to ask a lot from the Year 8 group of
children. They are expected to be mature and
take responsibility. It takes some time for some
Learning about the Romans
of them to catch on to this. I have been pleased with the
way that they rose to this challenge by the end of the
year. We see them become physically too big for the
Lower School classrooms as they near the end of the
Summer Term and prepare to leave us for Middle School.
The Year 8 pupils begin to establish good relationships
with staff in these later weeks. I have been impressed by
a large number of them undertaking show-rounds with
prospective families - their personable, confident air
certainly impresses visitors. Many of them begin to
communicate and articulate more maturely - and then
we have to pass them on to Middle School.
Busy children are happy children. Busy children get into
less trouble and develop positive habits. Positive habits
are life skills that all well-balanced adults need. This is
why I firmly believe that Ellesmere is a super place to
educate children. Through the dedicated and fun way
that the children carry out their studies with our teachers,
they gradually pick up and develop these vital life skills.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
The Headmaster often says, ”If you want to get a job practice. This way of educating is questioned in the
done well and quickly, give the job to a busy person.” A modern world of work due to the large number of
large number of our pupils are well-motivated and get individuals performing well on these tests but acting
things done. Ellesmere helps to develop children who unintelligently. Their social intelligence is lacking. They
can eventually manage themselves to good effect. We don’t know how to function competently and interrelate
encourage children to think for themselves and they are with others. Their problem-solving skills are lacking and
certainly not spoon-fed. I can relay a typical day for one they cannot communicate their knowledge effectively.
of our current Year 8 pupils: An early rise for swim
training, then on to Chapel or assembly. Lessons and It was acknowledged that, in the successful schools that
music lessons follow. Lunch time sports practice, more developed well-balanced individuals, the notion of how to
academic study in the afternoon, then on to orchestra, teach and how to nurture intelligence was also changing.
shooting and prep. It is often seen that to be purely scholarly, having the
ability just to pass tests, is really not the full picture. For
The beauty of Ellesmere is that the Ellesmerian is real intelligence, a person has to relate knowledge to life
stretched and challenged to manage this. Lower School situations. Well-balanced, intelligent children can learn
is fundamental in developing these good organisational facts and recall to some extent in tests but marks of true
habits. In the initial stages the boys and girls will make intelligence are alertness, perceptiveness, wit, curiosity
mistakes. In assembly I often say, “It is fine to make a and creative responses in a variety of situations; the
mistake from time to time, as long as one learns and ability to work through a variety of experiences and
moves on from the mistake that one makes.” activities with increasing confidence. I was really
heartened to read this as I believe the children in Lower
The other strength of our School is that there are many School have the opportunity to develop these skills and
different areas in which our children can be busy, from develop the ability to function intelligently, qualities much-
sport to music, arts to academia. When one looks back needed in the modern work-place. Therefore, to sum up
over all of the achievements from this year, it is what I do know and believe wholeheartedly, Ellesmere is
impressive to see the range of activities that our children a super place to keep learning stimulating and interesting
have had the opportunity to try. During a train journey for the children placed in our care.
back in November I read an article in The Times
newspaper which initiated reflections about the essence Two people have been super ambassadors for Lower
of what I believe to be true education and development School throughout this year. David Powell and Ffion
of intelligence. True education and lifelong development Davies are the Head Boy and Head Girl who lead a team
to me comes from having a plethora of experiences to of eighteen prefects. They have done a sterling job
sample…. to work through…. and to reflect upon. Getting keeping the Lower School running smoothly. I really will
things wrong and, essentially, working to get things right be watching the progress that these two young people
the next time is one of the fundamentals of what learning make in Middle School. I am convinced that they will go
is all about. Children here certainly get that colourful from strength to strength.
range of experiences and they are encouraged to
sample a wide variety. We have achieved a great deal in many areas of life as
we have gone through the year. We have battled with
swine flu, floods and snow. We had a
celebratory tea to commemorate the
Left: Tile-making at Blists Hill
10th anniversary of the opening of
Below: Rebecca Neary and Lower School. Her Royal Highness
Catriona Jones who won third Princess Anne, the Princess Royal,
prize in the Year 8 Physics sent her good wishes. The Grow Dome
Competition was erected in September. It has been
Far right: Alistair O’Brien used for many charity events by the
experiences a different era at environment and gardening groups.
The Parents’ Society funded the new
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
playground which has been really
enjoyed by the children. A
recreation area on the top floor was

In the article some of the

country’s most respected
academics and critical thinkers
put forward their thoughts about
education and their notions of
intelligent people. Greenfield,
Greer, Grayling and Moor wrote
about being on the threshold of a
‘new intelligence’. At the turn of
the 20th Century a person’s
intellectual worth was determined
by an individual’s performance on
verbal and numerical IQ tests.
‘Hot housing’ children to simply
pass tests is now considered a
very limiting and outdated

31
 The Ellesmerian 2010
We have had a very successful year of sport. There were
over one hundred and thirty fixtures with thirty-two teams
in twelve competitive sports. Eight other sports are
available which makes twenty sports to play. There have
been ten different House sport competitions. Rugby is
strong as always. Armani Roberts, a Year 6 pupil, was
selected for North Wales U13 team. We
played three tournaments in Sevens and
progressed to the final stages in all of
them. A number of colours were awarded
for performance. Full colours were awarded
to Jacob Roberts, Matthew Kinney and
Harry Byrne. The Football season started
slowly with early defeats for all teams.
Performances strengthened as the season
progressed and dedication in practice paid
Plant sale in aid of Monduli Green off. The U11 team narrowly lost in the final
of the Ellesmere tournament. The girls had
Above: Mr Bongers being served by
Kieran Smith and Elliott Price

developed for Year 8 use. The facilities Above: Georgia

include table football, snooker and pool, Stackhouse shows off
plus table tennis, board games and a the plants
relaxation corner. The outside equipment
has been extended too to include Right: Louis Gameson
badminton, volleyball and extra football (left) and Harry Byrne
pitches. An outside covered area has been entertaining shoppers at
constructed which can be used the Christmas Bazaar
either to teach in or just to sit under
and read or chat.
We have completed work for the
charity, Monduli Green. Donations
have been made through the Left: James Thomas (left), Sophie Austin
fantastic plant sale, a really and Elliot Lee in the Key Stage 3
enjoyable Christmas Fair, a super production of The Greeks
Continental Market, Macmillan
Coffee Mornings and cake sales,
Age Concern non-uniform days and successful Hockey and Netball seasons.
Operation Christmas Child. Tom Hill Ellie Williams had final trials for the
and Eoin Murtagh in Year 5 County Netball Squad. We are blessed
organised a talent show in aid of the to have a super golf course and the
Haiti Earthquake Disaster Fund. We champion golfer and winner of our Green
had an Art exhibition.
The KS2 children performed The
Selfish Giant as their Christmas play,
highlighting some of the characters
that we have in the younger age
group. The older children performed the play The
Greeks. Once again this was excellent. We have also
had a group of very committed stage technicians, who
have helped with the senior plays too. Isaac Maddock-
James, Jo Jameson and Dylan Hughes did a fantastic
job.

Left and above: Scenes from the Key Stage 2

production of The Selfish Giant

Jacket this year was Teddy Hall. We undoubtedly have

talented swimmers. They have continued to train hard
throughout the whole year and have gone from
strength to strength. A team consisting of Alfie
Pardoe, James Wilson, Hector Pardoe, Jamie Thomas
and Ryen Spencer-Wolfe won the North Shropshire
swimming gala. The girls’ team with Naomi Craig,
Rebecca Neary, Eleanor Shields, and Amy Latham

32

came second. Hector Pardoe and Jack Bacon were
selected for the North Shropshire Primary Schools team.
Hector Pardoe, Year 4, has been ranked UK Number
One in his age-group in 200m Butterfly and 200m, 400m
and 800m Freestyle. Ten County records were broken by
our swimmers at the 2010 County Championships.
We are very lucky to have super shooting facilities and
committed shooting coaches. A number of children have
been awarded honours for shooting as the year has
progressed. Richard Lay has competed at a high level
throughout the year and captained the shooting squad.
Jacob Roberts shot at the Welsh Open national shooting
event and competed in the U21 section. He was also
awarded the Lits Cup. There were many good
performances in both School and Academy Tennis this
year. The Best Player Award went to Catriona Jones. The
Most Improved Players Award went to Georgia Edwards
and James Schofield.
Left: Lower School
servers in Chapel:
Henry Byrne with
the Crucifer and
acolytes James
Schofield (left) and
Richard Lay
Lily Wilson (right) and
Elizabeth Walsh (below)
performing in the Autumn
Concert
Below:
Young guitarist Eoin
Murtagh in his lesson
with Mr Smith
33
The Ellesmerian 2010
Above: Lower School
Hockey Squad
Right: Tilly Walker,
winner of the U12
Rounders Batting
Award
Mr Owen and Mr
Purnell report that it
was a very enjoyable
Cricket season with
some memorable
moments, including
two opening
partnerships of over
100 by David Powell and William Doerr, two superb
catches by William Doerr, two crucial match-winning
catches by James Watson, a bowling hat-trick by
Matthew Kinney and superb bowling from Sebastian
McCarthy and Anthony Bailey (Year 7), who secured a
win with their match-winning partnership. The squad
was superbly led by David and William and Harry
Williams was respected for his keeping and batting. The
top batting award was given to David Powell, the top
bowling award to Matthew Kinney, the top fielding award
to William Doerr.
The Rounders teams had very successful seasons. Both
U12 and U13 teams won their respective North
Shropshire tournaments. U13 top batting award was
presented to Catriona Jones and the U12 top batting
award went to Tilly Walker. The Best Fielder award was
presented to Anna Collard-Underwood, the Most
Improved Player award to Rebecca Neary and Beth
Hulme.
Once again we have had a super year of music where
the Lower School musicians and choir have performed to
a wonderful standard. Over ninety Lower School children
have individual music tuition. The Autumn Concert was a
huge success and the Oswestry Music Festival gave our
performers a chance to shine. The choir gave an
impressive performance in the Three Choirs Concert and
the year was concluded with a visit to Malta, the highlight
of which was their performance in Valetta Cathedral. We
have recently received Grade Certificates from the
Associated Board of the Royal School of Music.
Obviously as a Christian school we place importance on
the focal point of the Chapel and the Chapel service. A
number of children have been confirmed this year and
there are many children who help with the smooth
running of our services.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
At the top of our list on Speech Day we celebrated the
academic awards for the year. It has been a real pleasure
to write to the parents and tell them how pleased I have
been with their son or daughter’s individual academic
progress. Effort as well as excellence is celebrated. It
was a pleasure to name pupils who scored the highest
average period grades for the year. Keep at the back of
your mind that the maximum level is 5 and this is for the
whole year!
Year 4 Caitlin Bradley 4.7
Year 5 Kate Williamson 4.91
Year 6 Mia Foster 4.84
Year 7 Beth Hulme 4.88
Year 8 Charlie Whitehead 4.87
A number of children have been awarded Excellence
Awards for the academic subjects in the Whole School
Speech day:
Year 7 Jessica Martin-Jones Art
Sebastian McCarthy English and History
William Ainge French
James Bateman Geography, Maths,
Science
Edward Lindop Latin and Spanish
Year 8 Ben Williamson Art
David Powell English and Maths
Emily Roberts French, History, Latin
Sam Squires Geography
George Watkin Spanish
Joseph Hughes Science
Key Stage 2 Academic Awards:
Year 3/4
Natasha Foster English
Alistair O’Brien Maths
Jack Pochin Maths
Year 5 Kate Williamson English
Adam Crossman Maths
Eoin Murtagh Science
Year 6 Mia Foster English
Kate Moore Maths
Wil Morgan Science
A special award was donated by a former Head of Lower
School, Mrs Carolyn Newbold. This award is for a Year 8
person who displays all of the qualities of a true
Ellesmerian; hardworking, dedicated, with a breadth of
interest and excellence. There were many children who
would have fitted the bill and the decision was difficult.
However, as I have mentioned above, this person plays
team sport to a high standard, shoots, runs, swims
competitively, plays a number of musical instruments
and achieves academic excellence too. To top all of that
she is modest and a lovely person to know. This year’s
Newbold Cup was awarded to Naomi Craig. Emily
Roberts played the flute to close Lower School
celebrations. It was an excellent performance and a
fitting conclusion to events.
At this point I would like to say that I am very much
looking forward to next year. After long thought and
careful consideration I have asked Beth Hulme to be
Head girl next year and Thomas Sloan to be Head boy. I
am positive they will rise to the challenge admirably.
SO

34
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Pupil Notes - Middle School

It was a great pleasure when I was appointed as Head of two Year 9 boys, Benjamin Hughes and John
Middle School at the beginning of this year. Little did I Leadbeater, and four won Gold Awards; Mark McBrien,
realise how busy my year ahead was going to be. Just Joseph Haigh, Andrew Main and Christian Cieslik. Mark
keeping up with all that goes on in Middle School is a full- McBrien won Best in School. In Year 9 and 10 we took
time job in itself. The variety of activities both within and part in the Biology Challenge, a Junior version of the
outside the College that pupils take part in is immense. British Biology Olympiad (BBO). Joseph Haigh achieved
On top of this the pupils were, of course, challenging a Gold Award and many others gained success with
themselves academically. This year all year-groups took Silver and Bronze Awards.
external exams, the first in December for Years 10 and Away from academia, Middle School pupils were just as
11, and in the Summer for Year 9, when many of them busy. With CCF, the Duke of Edinburgh programme and
sat the Short Course GCSE in Religious Studies, with the Arena Arts programme, Thursday afternoons and
notable success. Modular Science results for Year 10 Expeditions are always full-on. Be it having to walk and
were excellent, with some pupils achieving 100% in a camp overnight, sail, fly, take part in drama, art, music or
number of units. However, the majority of academic Army tactics, there is something for everyone.
exams in Middle School falls to Year 11, who of course
were given a strong reminder of this on their first day
back. I would like to think that this had some effect on
the outcome as the results were great, with 82.7% of
grades awarded being A* to C grades. It was pleasing to
note that over 24% of all grades were the top grades of
A*/A. Yet again our girls excelled with 94% of A*- C, and
over 45% of grades secured were A* or A. Most
departments recorded 100% pass. Results for IGCE
showed over 86% awarded pass grades between A*-C.
There were some outstanding results. Sophie Osborne
achieved seven A*s and two As. Christian Ceslik added
six A*s to three As and a B, with Freya West, Vicky von
Hoven and William Jackson each getting five A*s and
Ruslana Rashchupkina gaining three A*s, five As and
two Bs in her second language - staggering. Success
must not be judged just at the top end; a number of
students exceeded their own expectations and achieved
grades that they would not have thought possible at the
beginning of the year. This in the end comes down to
their hard work and determination to succeed. Above: Drum workshop in the Arena Arts programme
Below: Year 9 cadets receive a lesson on weapon-
handling from Cdt Sgt Callum Booth

GCSE Results Day

From left: Sarah Wicks, Jo Bowen and Freya West
Throughout the year it has been a pleasure to see all the
commendations that have been given out to worthy
pupils. Those achieving five or more in a term have been
on the increase and it is certainly something to strive for.
The effort put in by pupils is also rewarded, in the form
of work prizes which are awarded by the Headmaster at
the end of each term.
In the Intermediate Maths Challenge, eleven pupils
gained Bronze Awards, nine won Silver awards, including
In the major sports some of our pupils are already
representing the College at First Team level and have
been selected for County or Regional teams. Shooting,
Tennis and Swimming are year-round events and
competitions take place throughout the year. Between
these events many Middle School pupils have
represented the College at the top level. Richard
Belcher and Ryan Williams achieved GB Wales selection
for their shooting, Jo Bowen became the U16 Tennis
County Champion and Hannah Clark was the runner-up.
In a reversal of roles, Hannah won the U18 Tennis

35
 The Ellesmerian 2010
County Championships with Jo as runner-up.
George Shelley, Year 11 and his brother Edward,
Year 9, have represented Team GB in the RS
Feva Sailing Nationals. They were selected in
October 2009 to join the National Squad, in
competition with seventy other crews, to train for
the World Cup in July 2010. Due to their excellent
seamanship, they have been selected for extra
training by one of the top coaches in the UK. The
boys have recently been sponsored by the Old
Ellesmerian Club and as a result will be sailing
with the School crest on their boat. During the
Summer vacation Elliot Rogan (Year 10), a
member of the Navy Section of the CCF, gained
the British Sub-Aqua Ocean Diving qualification.
Rugby and Hockey are the main sports of the
Michalemas Term and there were well over
twenty County and Regional selections made
from our boys and girls.

Top left: Tom and Ted

Parker, Regional and
County players in Rugby
League and Rugby Union
Top right: Elliot Rogan,
Sub-Aqua Diver
Above: County Hockey
George and Ed Shelley, Team GB players Annabel Rogan
(centre) and Ellie
Halstead (right) with Beth
The October Open Day is a time when College can boast Hulme (LS)
of its many successes and its beautiful grounds. Right: Fraser Murdoch,
However, this would all be meaningless if it were not for Scotland U15 squad
the guides and helpers who demonstrate what Ellesmere member
is about. A big thank you to all those that helped out;
they are too numerous to list.
Autumn Concert in Big School Throughout the year many members
of the school have music lessons and
for some there are also music exams.
This year saw ten Middle School
pupils pass the Associated Board of
the Royal School of Music exams, with
Luke Taylor gaining a Grade 7
Distinction on the violin and John Paul
achieving a Grade 8 Distinction on the
‘cello. The Autumn Concert had a
number of Middle School pupils taking
part, both as instrumentalists and as
members of the Chapel Choir.
Performance of the night went to
Ouming Huang on Piano. The House
Plays were once again very
professional, with many of the leading
roles falling to a very talented Middle
School. It was encouraging to see the
number of Year 9s who took part.

36
 The Ellesmerian 2010
the main sports. It is also Sevens
term, and the U15 Sevens Rugby
team went on to win the Adams
Tournament, a major coup for them.
Year 9 pupil Fraser Murdoch was
selected for the Scotland U15 Football
squad (as well as playing for North
East Wales this Summer in the U14
Cricket team - he lives in Wales but
was born in Scotland!). Another Year
9 pair who have excelled in two
sports, Rugby League and Rugby
Union, are twins Tom and Ted Parker.
They represented the Midlands in the
first and Shropshire in the second, as
well as being selected for the Youth
Development Group of the Worcester
Warriors.
There were as usual a number of
trips, which included Year 11 going to
a Hitler on Trial Workshop, a mock
Classics pupils at the Roman town of Caerwent in South Wales trial which looks at Hitlers’ culpability
in starting WW2. The Classicists went
to Bath and the South East, and
As the end of the Michaelmas Term approached the attended two performances of Greek tragedies. Victoria
pace did not slacken. Choir members were busy Schaeff and Ouming Huang from Year 11 joined a group
rehearsing for the candle-lit Carol Services that are a of Sixth Formers who took part in a Model United
highlight of the Ellesmere calendar. The House Rugby Nations conference in The Hague, where debates took
and Hockey matches took place in the last week along place during three days. It is no surprise that we have
with the House outings. The girls went to the Clothes this sort of expertise, as many pupils are in the Debating
Show at the NEC and both boys’ Houses opted for the Club. The Oswestry Music Festival has always seen
cinema and ‘all you can eat’. At the Middle School Ellesmere pupils perform well and this year was no
Christmas lunch it was great to see all the pupils looking exception. John Paul, Luke Taylor, George Fradley and
so smart in their suits and the confidence that many Alice Tow were particularly successful. The School
exhibited when it came to making the speeches or saying Musical was the Little Shop of Horrors and stared Luca
grace. A great way to end the term. Then Mr and Mrs Kuhn in the lead role, well supported by a glittering cast
Owen took twenty-five pupils to Gstaad on the annual ski of over twelve Middle School actors. Battle of the Bands
trip, enjoyed by all, despite Sam beating his Dad on the was well attended by Middle School, with a fine debut
slalom! performance by Year 11s Ben Kelly, Gordon Humphries
The Lent term and Tom Watkin.
was no less
hectic, with not
only Competitive
House events
taking place most
weeks, but Cross-
country as well as
Football, Hockey
and Netball as

Two versatile Middle

School musicians
Above: George Fradley
(piano, saxophone, drums)
Right: Kate Parry (‘cello,
singing) Above: Luca Kuhn as Audrey in Little Shop
of Horrors with co-star Henry Maybury

37
 The Ellesmerian 2010

time that were just

brilliant, I would go so
far as to say that their
‘timing’ was perfect......
The Three Choirs
Summer Concert had
in it many pupils from
Middle School, mainly
All in the Timing in the Chapel Choir,
Above: Georgina Ottaway in Time Flies some of whom went on
Above right: Bethany Lytttle, Lewis Allsop (centre) the Music Tour to Malta
and Mark McBrien in Variations on the Death of at the end of the term,
Trotsky (and yes, that is an axe in Trotsky’s where they sang in
head!) Medina and Valetta.
Right: Ben Williams in Time Flies The annual Battlefields
trip took place with Mr
Wood taking a group of
The Summer Term was of course a serious time forty Years 9 and 10
for all year groups in terms of exams, but there pupils to Ypres in
were still plenty of activities going on. The Belgium.
highlight for Year 11 was their Prom, which took
place early on in the term so as not to distract them from Speech Day and Prize Giving marked the term’s end, not
their studies. A big thank you to all those involved in the before many more successes were acknowledged. A
organisation as this was a group effort. The theme special mention must go to Emily Palmer, who was
decided upon this year was Bond, James Bond. It was awarded no less than five work prizes. However, even
time for the suave sophisticated look; after the end of term, the Middle
Dinner Suits and evening wear all round, School year was not over; there
as well as music, cards and glamour. was the CCF Summer Camp to
Cricket and Rounders were the main Crowbourgh, which was a roaring
games for Wednesdays. Athletics came success. Sarah Carr was
to the fore with a talented Middle School awarded The Wootton Memorial
squad taking part in a number of Athletic Tropy for Best Cadet. Other pupils
Championships. Ellie Halstead (Year 9) were also involved in the Cricket
shone in the 100m and George Beal Festival.
(Year 9) represented Shropshire in the I would like to wish all the Middle
Midlands Championship in the Shot Put. School leavers well with every
A number of Years 10 and 11 pupils success in their future. For those
were selected for the 1st Cricket XI and coming back, the Summer
also for the County. Three pupils from vacation is a time to recharge
Year 11 also took part in the Snowdon before the start of another hectic
Run, a gruelling relay run from Ellesmere year. I would also like to take this
College to the top of Snowdon. Sarah opportunity to thank all the
Richardson, Owain Roberts and Sam teachers of Middle School for
Thurmer helped the team to keep the their hard work, but especially to
time under twelve hours and at the same the Heads of St. Aidan’s, St.
time raise a lot of money for charity. Cuthbert’s and St. Patrick’s, along
The Middle School play, All in the with all the tutors.
Timing, was fantastic. There were a Sarah Carr, winner of The Wootton RC
series of comedy sketches relating to Memorial Trophy, at Summer Camp

38
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Year 11 Prom

39
The Ellesmerian 2010

Pupil Notes - Sixth Form

40

Sixth Form Examination Results
Freddie Herzog, Zoe Haynes and Josh Boswell
celebrate their ‘A’ Level results
The first year of the A* grade has given Ellesmere Sixth
Formers the opportunity to record the high standard
achieved with over 10% of the girls and nearly 5% of the
boys gaining the top award. Overall performance was
excellent, with close to 97% of students achieving pass
grades. Half of the girls and 44.5% of boys gained
passes in the A* to B category. Most departments
recorded 100% pass rates.
Whilst congratulations are due to all students there were
some particularly notable performances worthy of
specific mention. Joshua Boswell amassed an
impressive number of top results with two Grade A*s in
History and Maths, two Grade As in Economics and
International Baccalaureate students 2009/10
41
The Ellesmerian 2010
General Studies, and a Grade A in Further Maths AS.
He has a place at York University to read Philosophy,
Politics and Economics. Rebecca Britton, Head Girl,
achieved an A* in English Literature and a further three
Grade As in Geography, History and General Studies.
She will be taking up her place to read English Literature
at Cardiff. Freddie Herzog, Head Boy, achieved two
Grade As, a B and a C and has a place at Birmingham
University; as did Zoe Haynes, who has a place at
Lancaster. A Grade A* was also achieved by Elizabeth
Evans in Fine Art to go with her A and B grades.
Our IB students received their results earlier in the
summer. These students face a challenging course,
studying six subjects plus an extra course in the Theory
of Knowledge, and have to complete an independent
research piece to achieve the Diploma. Stella Lesch
achieved 42 IB points (which is valued as 654 UCAS
points, or 4.6 A* grades) with a top level 7 in Biology,
Maths and French. She is going to University College,
London to read Psychology. Afra Ekert, a talented music
scholar, achieved 40 points, an ‘A’ Level equivalent of 4.3
A* grades, with high marks for both her extended
research and Theory of Knowledge. She plans to attend
Medical School in Europe. Vivian Grudde achieved 38
points and is going to Bath University to study Business
Administration. The average ‘A’ Level equivalent for the
whole IB cohort is just over three A grades or 385 UCAS
points.
This year 86% of our UCAS applicants achieved a place
at their first-choice university. Four accepted their
insurance offer, and just four went through Clearing. All
four succeeded in finding suitable places.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Essay Competition Success
Joshua Boswell receiving his essay award from John
Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons
hockey to Lower School pupils and Nick, an IB student,
worked as a volunteer in the local Oxfam shop. It was
Ros McCarthy, Head of Support for Learning and
coordinator for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold programme
at the school, who nominated Elizabeth, Chris and Nick
for the Young Citizens Award. She noted that all three
students were stalwart senior members of the College
and have patiently supported individual pupils, listening
to them reading and helping with prep.
Reading Half-Marathon
At this year’s Reading Half-Marathon Year 12 students
James McCarthy and Julian Sole both completed the
course in under two hours. As part of their Duke of
Edinburgh Gold Awards James and Julian, who had no
previous experience of long distance running, began
training after Christmas in preparation for the event,
which they entered in order to raise funds for their Duke
of Edinburgh Gold Award Expedition, canoeing in
Canada, in July. They raised over £200 towards their
Canadian adventure.

Joshua Boswell, a Year 13 student and Prefect, was the

Regional winner of a national writing competition
organised by the Parliamentary Press Gallery. It involved
writing an essay recommending three policies that could
be adopted by any of the parties for the 2010 General
Election. Josh was encouraged to enter the competition
by Louise Paton, Head of History and the Gifted &
Talented Programme Coordinator. He wrote a 2,000
word essay giving ideas for policies for reforms of the
Financial Sector and minimum wage as well as the
legalisation of cannabis. His submission was read by all
three party leaders and won him a two-stay in London
which included a visit to Parliament in session.
High Sheriff’s Award 2010
At a presentation evening held at Telford College three
Sixth Formers, Elizabeth Evans, Christopher Johnson
and Nicholas West, received the High Sheriff’s Award for
their outstanding display of good citizenship. All three
students have been supporting individual younger pupils
as part of their voluntary contribution within the Support
for Learning Department. In addition, Elizabeth has
done much fundraising for the school’s nominated
African charity, Monduli Green, Chris has coached

James McCarthy (left) and Julian Sole taking part in the

Reading Half-Marathon

Supermarket Bag Pack

Nicholas West (left), the High Sheriff Anna Turner,
Elizabeth Evans and Christopher Johnson at the
Citizenship Awards ceremony
Eleven Sixth Form boarders, nine girls and two boys,
gave up a Saturday to pack customers’ shopping at
Stan’s Supermarket, in aid of Hope House Children’s
Hospice. They had a hard day, but customers, staff and
Hope House representatives appreciated their efforts
and commented on their courtesy and helpfulness
throughout the day. They were able to donate £489.20 to
the charity.
DJB

42

Senior Maths Challenge
Mr Cowley, Head of Maths (far right) with the Sixth Form
Maths students who took part in the Challenge
There is no special preparation for the annual Maths
Challenge, and so it is a real test of mathematical ability. resolutions in the Security Council and General
This year Liyu Xu in Year 12 and Year 13 pupil, Lawrence
Walters, excelled in the Challenge and gained Gold
Awards, with Liyu achieving ‘Best in School’. Silver
Awards were gained by Aparajit Basu, Joshua Boswell,
Tjark Dreyer, Deren Kong, Michael Kuepper, Xiaonan
Peng, Ami Takahashi and Patrick Weigel. Another six
pupils gained Bronze Awards. They were Douglas Allsop,
Cheng-Yu Chaing, Po-Chun Tsai, Frank Murges,
Nicholas West and Hugh Wignall.
Model United Nations
Leiden
In November 2009, seven Sixth Form
students attended a Model United Nations
Conference in Leiden, the Netherlands.
This was seen as an opportunity to make
connections with students from other parts
of Europe and to develop a better
understanding of the complexity of
international issues. For both students
and teachers it was our first MUN
adventure and was a bit of a leap into the
unknown.
Leiden was indeed a surprise for the
adults. It was almost frightening to see
the competence of the organising students
who ran the whole event. Their authority
and confidence were awe-inspiring. Young
people between the ages of fifteen and
nineteen chaired, organised, produced
daily press releases and movies and got
everyone to the right place at the right
time. One couldn’t help realising that a
similar number of paid adults might not
have done this job as competently.
As teachers we are perhaps used to the
disappointment when young people are
somewhat less excited about intellectual From left: Joshua Boswell, Niko Wojtynia, Katrin Scharf, Sophie
ideas than we are ourselves. It was, Mauersberg, Artyom Drobysh, Anabel Koldijk, Georg Berezkin
The Ellesmerian 2010
therefore, a shock to witness the palpable hum of
excitement, the buzz of enthusiasm as hundreds of
students, unpolluted by the input of teachers,
immersed themselves in some of the most challenging
issues the world faces today. They lobbied, debated
and painstakingly picked over the details of policies
and resolutions, they listened and they stood up and
represented the views of their countries. And they had
a lot of fun.
I came away thinking that this was the best event I had
ever taken students to, and even before we left, the
campaign to ‘go on another MUN soon’ had started.
Thanks to the student connections made at Leiden, and
the persistence of a couple of the Upper Sixth, we did
indeed go again – this time to the Hague in March
2010.
CA
The Hague
Ten Sixth Form students travelled to The Hague in
March for the next three-day Model UN session. Four
hundred students from around the world came together
for a realistic simulation of the UN, with some of the
debates being held in the UN Peace Palace. The
Ellesmere College team were chosen to
represent China, Israel and Amnesty International.
They took part in the debates leading to the formation of
Assemblies on many issues of importance to the world
at present, ranging from the use of nano-technology, to
the question of self-determination and security in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Ellesmere group was truly international with English
students Joshua Boswell and Dominick Coppinger
participating alongside Artyom Drobysh, from Russia;
Georg Berezkin, Rebecca Maas, Viktoria Schaeff,
Ludwig Schinzing, Fredi Steinebach and Niko Wojtynia
from Germany; and Ouming Huang from China.
Cathy Allen, Head of English as an Additional Language,
was responsible for instigating the students’ involvement
and accompanied them on both occasions.
Delegates to the Model United Nations

43
The Ellesmerian 2010

The Sixth Form Ball

Raising the funds with

Valentine Roses

From Left: Julie Kennerley,

Rebecca Britton, Freddie
Herzog, Zoe Haynes,
Jenny Eckhoff, Elizabeth
Evans, Emmie Hughes

44
 The Ellesmerian 2010

45
The Ellesmerian 2010

University Destinations 2010

Full Name University Course
Anderson, F. Liverpool John Moores Popular Music Studies
Basu, A. Manchester Economics
Becker, F.J. Ludwig Maximilians, Munich Economics
Blake, T.R. Sheffield Hallam Product Design
Boswell, J.T. York Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Britton, R.A.L. Cardiff English Literature
Bueschler, A.A. Munich Electronic Engineering
Carr, T.D. Harper Adams Agriculture with Farm Business Management
Chan, W.S. Leeds Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
Clutton, C.R. Liverpool John Moores Real Estate Management
Cole, J.R. Nottingham Trent Property Investment and Finance
Courage, T. Nottingham Trent Planning and Property Development
Dapling, J.R. Cardiff Civil Engineering
Dimroth, A. Oder Law
Eckhoff, J.A. UCLA, California Biochemistry
Ekert, J.A.M.E. Marburg Dentistry
Evans, E.H. Edge Hill Liverpool Primary Education with QTS
Fangmann, N. Amsterdam Media and Communications
Fischer, G-M. Regent Bus. School, London Global Business Management
Graf, J-M. Maastricht European Studies
Grudde, V.Z. Bath Business Administration
Haynes, Z.E. Lancaster English Literature
Herzog, F.J. Birmingham History
Hughes, H.B. Sheffield Hallam Criminology and Sociology
Jackland, A.S.J. Leeds Metropolitan Marketing
Johnson, C.D. Southampton Biomedical Sciences
Johnson, S.B. Wolverhampton Policing
Jones, M.D. Swansea Sports Science
Kennerley, J.E. Harper Adams Rural Property Management
Killick, A.F.S. Harper Adams Rural Property Management
Kuepper, M. Kaiserslauten Industrial Engineering
Lesch, S.M. University College London Psychology
Maybury, H.G. Hull Theatre and Performance
Nanu, L. Amsterdam Fashion Institute Art
Quinlan, S.J. Aberystwyth Marine and Freshwater Biology
Rath, C. Erlangen Law
Rietheimer, M.P.C. London South Bank Business and Management
Schmid, L.N. Erasmus, Rotterdam International Business Administration
Sesay, A.K. Manchester Metropolitan Hospitality Management
Sorfleet, N. Oxford Brookes Economics/Politics
Steggles, M.F. Glamorgan Film and Video
Stoica, I. Bologna Law
Storozhik, Y. Edinburgh Computer Science
Straub, C.F. Erasmus, Rotterdam International Business Administration
Tomlinson, H. Univ. of Wales Inst., Cardiff Psychology
Verleger, M. Erasmus, Rotterdam International Business Administration
Tsai, P-C. Buckingham Business and Management
von Hoven, C. Keele Accounting and Finance
Walker, J.R. London South Bank Product Design
Walters, L.T. Bath Chemical Engineering
Wicks, E.J. Bristol West of England Social Work
Wojtynia, N. Utrecht Politics

46
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Chapel Notes
One of the first places that visitors to the College are into whether to compile our own ‘in-house’ hymn book or
shown is the ‘The Chapel of St. Oswald, King and to purchase about seven hundred ready-printed books.
Martyr’. It is also one of the first places to be visited by Everyone has their own idea about the hymns that
returning Old Ellesmerians. New visitors experience a should be sung and about the type of hymn book that we
sense of history, stability and community that is the should use, and with this in mind pupils, teaching staff
bedrock of College life, and returning Old Ellesmerians and support staff will be invited to express their opinions
find reassurance, comfort and satisfaction in discovering when asked to complete a questionnaire on the subject
that in an ever-changing world there is one place that has of their favourite hymns. It is hoped that the information
remained more or less as gathered will move the
they like to remember it. project along and point it in
a generally acceptable
During its proud service as direction.
the centre of College life
the Chapel has received Another pressing project
many donations and gifts of involves updating and
furnishings and artefacts, improving the sound
from both Old Ellesmerians system in the Chapel. At
and other people the present time there are
connected with the College, fixed microphones only on
as signs of appreciation for the lecterns, and there are
whatever they have found just four speakers, on the
in and received from this south side of the Chapel.
very special building. There Hand-held and lapel radio
are many small brass microphones, a new
plaques discreetly placed amplifier and four more
around the Chapel that speakers will improve the
bear the names and dates quality of presentation of
of those who have gifted worship and enable the
items such as stained glass worship space to be used
windows and Sanctuary more imaginatively. The
furniture, and there are first task will be to invite
many inscriptions to be local suppliers of audio
found on items of equipment to send in
silverware, from the quotations for the planned
magnificent processional installations.
cross housed at the east
end to the small wafer box After just over two years of
used for intimate services the current Chaplain’s
of Holy Communion. All incumbency it is becoming
commemorate the lives of clear that there has been
former pupils and the long rather too much Chaplain
service of dedicated staff. and not enough of other
people being involved in
It has been both a privilege leading worship. With this
and a pleasure to begin a in mind each residential
long-term project to College House has been
photograph and record The Chapel by candlelight invited to lead Morning
each gifted item with the Worship in Chapel. It is
intention of producing a hoped that this will
definitive catalogue of Chapel ‘treasures’ for the College encourage students of all ages to ‘own’ the worship we
Archive and for display on Open Days and special offer and will bring further stimulation and fresh
occasions. Such projects take time to complete, but approaches to some of our regular services.
thankfully can be undertaken alongside others that
ensure that the continuity of a blended traditional and The Chapel is open from 7.30 a.m. until about 9 p.m. and
contemporary approach to the presentation of worship is regularly used for choir practice and orchestra practice
can be maintained to an acceptable standard. as well as for services. The Lady Chapel has proved
once again to be an ideal venue for small family
With the project to supply the Chapel Choir of over fifty baptisms. This year I have conducted two baptisms there
singers with new choir robes having been completed, and one, for my latest grandchild, in the main body of the
largely due to the generosity of Old Ellesmerians, two Chapel. During the working day the Lady Chapel is a
new projects that have been waiting in the wings are now place of quiet retreat for prayer and reflection.
moving towards centre stage. As the number of students
attending Chapel services has been steadily increasing, Our two annual Harvest Services raised funds
the struggle to supply and maintain our hymn books has amounting to £200 which were sent to ‘Water Aid’, a
been an issue requiring some thought and attention. charity providing wells and clean drinking water for
Hymn books that are well-worn by regular use are people in Third World countries. The annual
repaired, but the question of what to do when the Remembrance Day Service was well attended and a
majority are beyond repair has caused an investigation collection of £269 was sent to the Royal British Legion.

47
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Over one thousand candles were
used to light the Chapel for the
traditional Christmas Carol
Services. The first one of the
season is known as the
‘Community Carol Service’ and is
attended by a mixture of the
current and former pupils and
staff, local people from Ellesmere
and friends of the College. A
donation of £1,076 from this
service and the services for
Boarding Houses and Lower
School was sent to ‘Hope House’,
the children’s hospice near
Oswestry. Other charitable giving Father David Slim
has focused on the Haitii
Earthquake Appeal (£550), ‘Crisis at Christmas’ (£380),
our annual support for MacMillan Nurses, and the
Bishop’s Ordination Candidates Fund, which was
Lower School pupils help to dress the Chapel for the
Harvest Festival
supported by the collection taken at the 2009
Confirmation Service when the College was pleased to
welcome the new Bishop of Shrewsbury, The Right
Reverend Mark Rylands, to preside
at the annual service. It was a very
lively and enjoyable service and
was attended by several large
family groups. Bishop Mark
confirmed eleven candidates into
the Anglican Communion.
I was reminded of the seniority of
Ellesmere College amongst other
Woodard Schools when I took Year
7 classes on a one-day Woodard
School Pilgrimage to Blackburn
Cathedral. We are prevented from
travelling too far afield for activities
such as pilgrimages by the need to
return to Ellesmere in time for the
afternoon buses, but Blackburn
was just within our reach. Heavy
traffic prevented us arriving on time
for the first activities but this turned
out to be to our advantage. We Pupils assemble for Morning Chapel, with Director of Music Roger Paul
would have been sitting at the back
48
of the building, well away from the
action, if the Provost, Canon
Clover, had not invited Ellesmere
pupils to join him in the cathedral
choir stalls so that they could take
a full part in the pilgrimage
programme. This enhanced the
children’s enjoyment of worship
that combined modern and
traditional styles and gave them
an experience they are unlikely to
forget.
As trust has grown between the
Chaplaincy and the College
community I have been privileged
on a number of occasions to
revive and use my skills as a
Christian Listener. Some years ago, having realized that
I often talk too much, I decided to take the opportunity to
train to be a Christian Listener. Eventually, having
passed the three courses involved, I was awarded a
Certificate of Qualification signed by the Bishop of
Chester. Finally, I had learned the value of being a
listening post rather than a talking head and it took my
ministry as an Anglican priest into new territories.
Christian Listeners offer, on behalf of God and His
Church, the opportunity for people to speak about their
concerns in confidence, without being offered advice
and without being judged. The Listener simply provides
people with space and time to express themselves. He
or she may also assist them to summarize what they
have been talking about. It is a process through which
the thoughts of the speaker seem to become clearer
and speakers usually find that they are able to suggest
for themselves what their future course of action will be.
It is my hope that rewarding ministry such as this will
continue and develop in the future.
In our ever-changing world The Chapel of St. Oswald,
King and Martyr has remained the same as it has
always been; the centre of the life of the College
community. It is a place where prayer and worship,
peace and praise, seriousness and celebration rub
shoulders term by term and bring Christian influence into
the lives of all who visit it. Long may God continue to
bless our community in our work and worship together.
Father David Slim
at the organ
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Combined Cadet Force Report

2009/10
CO: Lt Col G Hutchinson
2IC: Major M P Clewlow SSI: Sgt C M Collins
Navy Section
Lt F R Brook, Sub Lt M Coats
Army Section
Maj M P Clewlow, Capt M T Gareh, Lt K B Hilton,
Lt M A Digby, Lt R Chatterjee
RAF Section
Flt Lt D Joynson-Brooke, Flt Lt J K Collins,
Flt Lt F S Williams, Fl Officer R J Heaton
It has been a difficult year for Reserve Forces throughout
the country, with financial constraints caused by
operational and other pressures affecting many aspects
of training. Cadets have been no different from the adult
Reserve Forces in this respect, with Army cadets in
particular suffering a much reduced level of support from
October to March. Some of these economies were
carried forward into the financial year starting in April
2010. Through the hard work of Contingent officers and
NCOs most of the training has gone ahead despite these
problems. Sadly the planned Adventurous Training Camp
at the Joint Services Mountain Training Centre,
Dundonnell, during the Easter vacation, was a casualty
that could not be saved. We now expect to complete
ECCCF’s fortieth such trip to Scotland in 2011. An
alternative trip for a Duke of Edinburgh Award group was
staged in North Wales, based at a centre owned by
Shrewsbury School. We are grateful to OE and former
Contingent officer, Mr John Harvey, for enabling the
arrangements to go through so rapidly. Flt Lt and SSI
Collins are to be commended for organising and leading
this trip at such short notice.
The Contingent was close to establishment strength in
terms of cadets and officers for the year, and all the
essential training objectives were fulfilled. The Army
Section would normally complete more in the fieldcraft
section of the syllabus, but the introduction of a new
cadet weapon caused a reduction in the time that could
be devoted to this. I expect 2010/11 to follow a more
normal pattern. Although we were not due a formal
Review at the end of the year, we were grateful to OE Lt
Col Guy Chambers for presenting our annual awards in
June. These included over forty Duke of Edinburgh
Bronze awards earned by cadets in the previous year
and a half. Other awards included The Blake Hartley
Memorial Trophy, which went to Cadet Flt Sgt Martin
Jones; the Wootton Memorial Trophy, awarded to Cadet
Cpl Nick Crow; The Richmond Trophy, won by Cadet Cpl
Guy Cooper; Best Navy Cadet, which was won by Cadet
Able Seaman George Shelley; Best Army Cadet, won by
Cadet CSM Harry Hughes; and Best RAF Cadet, won by
Cadet Flt Sgt Martin Jones. Martin is also to be
congratulated on winning an RAF University scholarship.
Lt Col G Hutchinson

Presentation of Awards, June 2010

From left to right: SSI Chris Collins, Lt Col G Hutchinson (OC), CSM Harry Hughes (Best Army Cadet),
Flt Sgt Martin Jones (Blake Hartley Memorial Trophy, Best RAF Cadet), Cpl Guy Cooper (Richmond Shooting Trophy),
LCpl Nick Crowe (Wootton Memorial Trophy), Leading Seaman George Shelley (Best Naval Cadet),
Lt Col Guy Chambers OE, Major Martin Clewlow (2IC)

49
 The Ellesmerian 2010
The Field Day gave our senior cadets the
opportunity to inspire the recently-attached
Year 9 cadets to develop their sailing prowess
and practise their own leadership skills. Their
campcraft skills were put to the test during the
Summer Expedition, which was their Duke of
Edinburgh Bronze practice, and for the more
senior cadets the final Bronze expedition. This
took place between Ellesmere College and
Llangollen, camping at Quinta and formulating
thier own menus as well as delivering what
they brought as edible meals. During the
course of the year the cadets were shown
how to make scrumptous meals from next to
nothing when we had a visit from a Royal
Navy chef who had worked on aircraft
carriers, surface ships and submarines.
Sausages can be transformed into delicious
meatballs (supermarket own brand!).

Navy cadets march down to Buckingham Palace in the

Cadet 150 Celebrations

Navy Section
The Royal Navy Section has completed a full programme
of sailing and watermanship tasks, including an NCO
cadre for the Year 11 cadets which produced a group of
senior cadets who can instruct the juniors. A number of
cadets have attended Royal Navy courses in
Portsmouth and Plymouth, including military skills, diving
and sailing courses.
The October expedition took place at Whitemere Sailing
Club, allowing the cadets to sail a variety of dinghies and
also to be assessed for their RYA Level 2 Certificate,
which most achieved. Thanks are due to Mr Ian Williams,
who braved the elements and helped rig and assist in
training as well as camping out and sampling the
excellent food. Not only did the cadets sail for three full Navy cadets Annabelle Rogan, Harry Clewlow and
days, they also erected tents, camped for two nights and Molly Venner with Sub Lt Michael Coats at the Palace
had to take on various culinary duties as well as keeping
the club ship-shape. This year it was our turn to host the annual Royal Navy
Combined Cadet Force Conference, which was presided
Left: Sailing over by OE Lt Col Roger Armstrong, Royal Marines. Our
on Whitemere thanks to the Headmaster and catering staff for their
during the help and assistance.
Autumn
The cadets have been aware that during the course of
Expeditions: this year the cadet movement has been celebrating its
George and Ed 150th year. The cadets helped plant a number of trees
Shelley gained within the College grounds to commemorate the
their RYA Level anniversary. Taking part in the Cadet 150 celebrations a
2 Certificates select few, Annabelle Rogan, Molly Venner and Harry
Clewlow, were given the honour of representing the
College at Her Majesty the Queen's garden party at
Buckingham Palace. They stayed the night before on
HMS Bristol, where they brushed up on their drill before
parading down The Mall in front of members of the Royal
Family and their guests, who included a trio of proud
Ellesmere College parents.
Right: Royal
Navy Chef We have said a sad farewell to our chief, P. O. Kevin
Whitely, who has taken up a position at HMS Raleigh, the
watches as training centre in Plymouth; we await our first official visit
Cadet Grant by his replacement. We also say farewell to Mr Michael
Jones tries out Coats, who has worked with the Navy cadets for the last
some cooking two years. We thank him for his services.
skills Lt Frank Brooke, OC Navy Section

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Army Section
The Army Section was issued with the new A2 rifle in
October, which was too late for anyone to pass a Safe
Handling test before the first Expeditions. The Senior
Recruit Squad, comprising those new into the Sixth
Form, went to Nesscliffe for ‘dry’ tactical training, whilst
Year 11 similarly carried out exercises in Planning,
Command and Control. The Senior Recruits were
commanded by Captain Gareh, with U/O Christian Rath
as the leading NCO and Sergeant Leo Schmid in
support. Year 11 training was organised by Lt Digby and
Lt Chatterjee, who were supported by CSMs Harry
Hughes and Niko Wojtynia for much of the time, although
NCOs were required to be very flexible about where they
operated this year. Year 10, under Major Clewlow, took
the opportunity to complete the expedition phase of the
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, in the Llangollen area.
Major Huw Gilbert TA (OE) acted as assessor. Senior
NCOs responsible for Year 10 were CSMs Tom Carr and
Jonathan Pescod, assisted by Cpl Will Bevan, who Field Day: The observation exercise called on powers
returned to the Corps after an absence of two years. of concentration and recall

Methods of Instruction course. Many of these were able

to attend the Summer Expeditions at Swynnerton, where
they acted as NCOs, and they also made up a fair
proportion of the Summer Camp party. Year 10
completed Safe Handling tests in time for Swynnerton,
which enabled Year 9 to do some familiarisation in
addition to field exercises before Summer Camp. The
whole Army Section went to Swynnerton in the final
week of the year as a work-up exercise before the

Senior cadet Jamie Stokes shows Year 10 cadet

Berwyn Hughes how to ‘cam up’

During the Lent Term Year 10 completed First Aid and

Life Saving before moving on to Weapon Handling. As
the term progressed Year 9 recruits were absorbed onto
a programme organised by SSI Collins, with Mr
Macintosh in support. NCOs were rotated though this
and other groups as the need arose. Years 9 and10
spent the March Field Day completing Command Tasks
and Leadership exercises, plus some competitions
organised by Outreach teams from the Army and RAF.
The day also included an observation exercise which
was won by Cadet Josh Smethurst, who displayed an
excellent eye for the out-of-place and good powers of
recall. Year 11 and the Senior Recruits had by now
completed Safe Handling tests on the new A2s, enabling
them to carry out blank-firing exercises at Nesscliffe, with
some able to set off the evening before in order to
complete some night training.
The Summer Term examinations loomed large for all
year groups above Year 10, but worthwhile training still
progressed. Year 11 completed some advanced map
reading, whilst all the Senior Recruits completed a
C/Sgt Jamie Whittles issues orders to his Section
Commanders at Swynnerton Camp
Crowborough party departed the following Sunday. At
Crowborough most of the training packages were an
improved version of those that we have enjoyed in the
past, despite the budget restrictions that have affected all
elements of the cadet world. Veterans from Iraq and
Afghanistan were able to filter down the latest tactical
thinking from the Infantry during Fieldcraft and Personal
Skills, whist the Range Day and Adventurous Training at
Bewl Water were better than encountered at most
Summer Camp locations. On Competition Day the party
acquitted itself well in all events and were runners-up in
Markmanship. Within the Contingent Guy Cooper again
won the Richmond Shooting Trophy, whilst Cpl Sarah
Carr was awarded The Wootton Memorial Trophy for
Best Cadet at Summer Camp.
Lt Col G Hutchinson

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The Ellesmerian 2010

Ellesmere College Army Cadets at

Crowborough Summer Camp

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Royal Air Force Section
Once again we have had an exceptional year,
especially for those cadets wishing to fly in the
Grob Tutors at RAF Cosford, or try motorised
gliding at Ternhill. Yuriy Lonchenko took up a
gliding scholarship during the June holiday
and had a fantastic experience.
Our October expedition found the cadets up in
the Welsh hills, camping in the wild and climbing
some big mountains. They all survived and
were proud of themselves for navigating
in some trying terrain. The Field Day found our
cadets assisting the Year 9s as leaders in a
variety of activities, including team
building, target shooting, archery, swimming,
leadership tasks and a paint-balling exercise.
Thanks are due to all the staff and senior
cadets who helped provide a wide and varied
selection of military and non-military tasks.
The Summer Expedition was used to complete
the Silver and Bronze Duke of
Above: RAF cadets and
Edinburgh expediton section for our senior cadets. The
junior cadets completed their first camping and CCF Officers posing in
cooking overnight exercise at Quinta, which involved front of the typhoons at
walking whilst carrying all their possesions, including the RAF Shawbury
house, in a rucksack between Ellesmere College Right: The typhoon taking
and Llangollen. The weather was very kind and off
we returned to College for the last day where the RAF Below: the famous Red
did what it does best, which is FLY....
Arrows on centre stage

Throughout the year we have had the help of our

Cadets J Pescod, M Steggles and W Bevan on their
Duke of Edinburgh expedition
RAF cadets Noah Appleby and Melissa Andrews
anchoring a ‘river crossing’ during Field Day
Test Sgt Stu Hamilton who has tested a number of senior
cadets on their Parts 2 and 3 tests, most of whom have
passed. Mr Robert Heaton took up the uniform this year
and we welcome his contribution, which included
accompanying Fl Lt Fred Williams and four cadets to
RAF Leeming.
We were invited to go to RAF Shawbury to see the
Typhoon take off for the annual RAF Cosford air show.
The cadets and officers were given a guided tour by the
Wg Cmdr RAF Typhoon A Gregory, who was overseeing
the whole operation. It was absolutely fabulous as the
Typhoon roared down the runway and then took off
vertically, a sight to behold.... As an extra bonus we
watched as the Red Arrows landed and took centre
stage prior to their display at the air show. A once-in-a
lifetime experience, and our thanks must go to the Wing
Commander for his valuable time and patience with our
many questions.
As usual we were in partnership with the RAF section at
Newcastle-under-Lyme Grammar School, who came to
College for a fun-packed day of shooting, swimming and
leadership skills. Our cadets are looking forward to going
over to their school in September for a senior NCO
cadre.
Fl Lt D Joynson-Brooke, OC RAF Section

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Remembance Day Parade 2009
Army cadet Bethany Lyttle lays a wreath at the Remembrance Day
ceremony in Ellesmere with the Standard Bearers in the background
Officers and cadets from Ellesmere College CCF took
part in the parade at the Ellesmere Town Remembrance
Service on Sunday 8th November. The Contingent
paraded with its new Colours Standard for the first time
since its absorption into the Rifles Regimental family,
which is the new home of its previous parent regiment,
The Light Infantry. The Queen’s Colour was carried by
Cadet Able Seaman Mihai Luca (Navy), whilst the
Contingent Colour was borne by Cadet Corporal Yuri
Loychenko (RAF). Cadet Bethany Lyttle (Army) laid a
wreath in memory of the one hundred and sixty eight
former pupils and staff of Ellesmere College who fell
during the two World Wars. Their names are read out
each year at the ceremony at St. Mary’s Church.
Help for Heroes Cookbook
The hard work of collating the first Ellesmere College
Cookbook, in aid of Help for Heroes, came to fruition as
recipes were demonstrated and tasted and copies of the
cookbook were sold to those who attended the launch
event, ensuring that the College is well on its way to
reaching its £1,000 target for the charity. The five Year 9
Ellesmere College CCF cadets, Ellie Osborne, Hanna
The proof of the recipe is in the eating
Swan, Molly Venner, Hayden Edge-Roberts and
Declan Roberts undertook the enterprise as
part of the service element of their Duke of
Edinburgh Bronze Award. They were in uniform
to receive guests, and following an introduction
by Ian Sawers, Help for Heroes’ local
coordinator, participated on stage during the
course of the evening.
Contributing personally much of the food tasted
during the evening, Mrs Pat Venner, the BBC
Wales presenter and grandmother of Molly,
entertained everyone as she demonstrated how
to put the finishing touches to a number of the
recipes from the Cookbook. All five cadets
demonstrated how to make some of the recipes
with Declan, Hayden and Ellie showing how
easy it is to impress guests with their Chocolate
Digestive Surprise, while Molly and Hanna,
performing an amusing double act, explained
how to make Lemon Biscuits. They were
followed by Lower School boarding pupils Eden
Brenninkmeyer, Harriet Watson and Ben Swan
who explained how they enjoyed making regular
batches of Brownies with duty teacher Cathy Allen.
The event was supported by Tipples, the external bar
services’ company, who served the drinks and Roslin
Catering, who served variations of some of the
From left: Mrs Nicolson with the cadets at the Help for
Heroes Cookbook launch
interesting recipes included
in the book. During the
evening Jaimie Wakefield, a
Year 5 pupil at the school
and one of the youngest
contributors to the cookbook
also sold bags of the dog
biscuits made from his
recipe, raising a further sum
for the charity.
At the end of the launch, the
five cadets showed their
appreciation to Mrs Venner by presenting her with a
gift and Rae Nicolson, the teacher who had helped the
group to pull the whole event together, also was
presented with a bouquet of flowers as a token of their
appreciation for her support.
HJW
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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Art

Gunnar Schildai Judith Marie Graf

International
Baccalaureate

Luana Nanu

Thomas Phillips Ioana Stoica Emmie Hughes

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

A Level

James Walker James Walker

Toby Blake

Ailsa Jackland Toby Blake

Elizabeth Evans

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

AS Level

Bogdan Davydov Ella Walker

Ella Walker Jack Foster Lydia Lam

Carys Fieldhouse
Viola Grosvenor Ella Walker

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The Ellesmerian 2010

George Cave Zachary Cooper

Samantha Wolfson

Olivia Churton

Sophie Halstead

Megan Bray

Enya MacLiam-Roberts

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Luca Kuhn Hannah Cumpston

GCSE

Sarah Richardson Jennifer Griffiths

Alexander Fogg Ryan Jones Hannah Cumpston

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Gordon Humphreys

Reka Kanniess

Raphaela Ring

Ruslana
Rashchupkina

Sam Thurmer

William Abell Sam Thurmer

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Lower School
Art Work

Year 5 Work Based on the

Theme of Seeds

Year 5 Work Based on the

Theme of Insects

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The Ellesmerian 2010

Year 6 Work Based on Natural

Forms, Looking at Henry Moore

Year 7 Work Based on the Theme of

Still Life and Cakes

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Drama
House Play Festival 2009
The 2009 House Play Festival was as vibrant, eclectic and spirited as ever – with the added dimension of a points
allocation for the Ellies Awards resulting in an overall winner. The festival was conceived as a celebration of drama
in the school and we have always approached the competitive aspect with a playful sense of humour rather than
ruthless aggression! The addition of the points system did not alter the festival ethos while appeasing those who like
their art numbered and ranked.

Meynell
Outside Edge by Richard Harris
Meynell’s contribution this year was a sporting
farce with some very notable performances. A
memorable portrayal of uxorial attachment was
given by the bizarrely costumed Nick West – a
fur coat in Summer when everyone else is in
shirtsleeves! He was ably partnered by the
mercurial Charlie Coppinger and played well
against Becky Britton’s busybody of an
organiser. Becky and Luke Taylor’s on-stage
relationship was hilariously physicalised in a
hunt by the former for a key in the pockets of the
latter. This comic set piece was turned into a
coup de theatre by the appearance of the
perplexed Dominick Coppinger as we saw the
event through his eyes. Other notable
performances included Sarah Richardson and
Henry Maybury. Matthew Steggles did a great
job directing this fizzy cast.

Dominick Coppinger (left) and Luke Taylor

Talbot
The Talbot House Play Festival by Will
Bevan and Johnny Pescod
I was absolutely delighted to see a homegrown
play this year. Will and Johnny did a great job,
creating mischief and mayhem as they
lampooned and satirised the other House plays,
producing a hilarious hybrid of their own. Will
was a powerful presence on stage as well,
causing multiple moments of delirious,
spontaneous applause from the audience. The
whole glorious send-up was very well directed
by Charlotte Shearer.

William Bevan

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The Ellesmerian 2010

Wakeman-Lambart
Our Day Out by Willy Russell
A classic House play ensemble piece with a
cast of tens if not of thousands. Very ably
directed by Joe Dapling, with the assistance of
Freddie Herzog, the production sprawled
across the stage with reckless abandon. We
were taken on to the school coach, off to a
motorway services and into a zoo where the
kids behaved atrociously much to the delight of
the audience. Georgie Ottaway’s caring
teacher was pitted against her brother Luke’s
antagonistic coach driver with dramatically
appropriate results. Lewis Allsop and Mark
McBrien provided strong support as
recognisable teacher archetypes, and Luca
Kuhn and Ruslana Rashchupkina were very
believable school trouble makers.

Luke and Georgina Ottaway and cast

Woodard
Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward
There appears to be at least one classic
text chosen each year and this time it
was Woodard’s choice of this comic
perennial, much loved by audiences
from the1930s to the present day. It
proved a hit at Ellesmere as well, with a
frantic Ben Lingard-Lane and an
ascerbic Daisy Clarke going at each
other hammer and tongs as the couple
haunted by the wickedly sarcastic spirit
of Charlotte Boffey. The cast were very
ably supported by a dentally-challenged
Nico Wojtinya alongside a puzzled
Jenny Griffiths. Into the mix was then
thrown the larger-than-life character of
Madame Arcati, ebulliently performed
by Anna Nilsson. Congratulations to
Zoe Haynes on her direction of a well
dressed and well presented play.

From left: Daisy Clarke, Niko Wojtynia, Jennifer Griffiths,

Anna Nilsson

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

The Ellies Awards

Best Use of Props
Best Supporting Actor
Nominations: Talbot’s Whale
Nominations: Dominic Coppinger, Meynell
Woodard’s Gramaphone
Thomas Phillips, Meynell
(NB Thank you Brian Davies)
Nico Wojtyina, Woodard
Wakeman’s Furry Animals
Dominic Simpson, Talbot
Meynell’s Cricket Scoreboard
Jonny Pescod, Talbot
Winner: Talbot’s Whale Jens Lee, Talbot
Best Romantic Moment Winner: Thomas Phillips, Meynell
Nominations: Jenny Eckhoff and Andrew Main, Best Actress
Wakeman Nominations: Daisy Clarke, Woodard
Charlie Coppinger and Nick West, Charlotte Boffey, Woodard
Meynell Georgina Ottaway, Wakeman-Lambart
Ben Lingard-Lane and Charlotte Boffey, Becky Britton, Meynell
Woodard Grace Tomlinson, Talbot
William Bevan and The Corpse,
Winner: Becky Britton, Meynell
Talbot
Best Actor
Winner: Charlie Coppinger and Nick West, Meynell
Nominations: Ben Lingard-Lane, Woodard
Best Use of Costume Luke Taylor, Meynell
Nominations: Demonstration of teachers total lack of Lewis Allsop, Wakeman-Lambart
dress sense, Wakeman-Lambart William Bevan, Talbot
A dress big enough to fit Nick West in Winner: Ben Lingard-Lane in Woodard
Meynell
Period detail in Woodard Commentator’s Award for Best Director
Four plays-worth of costumes Nominations: Matthew Steggles, Meynell
designed, tailored, dressed and stolen Joe Dapling, Wakeman-Lambart
by Talbot Charlotte Shearer, Talbot
Winner: Period detail in Woodard Zoe Haynes, Woodard
Best Cross Dresser Winner: Charlotte Shearer, Talbot
Nominations: Nick West in Meynell
The allocation of points was as follows:
Jonny Pescod in Talbot
Best Director Talbot 50
Fredi Steinebach in Wakeman-Lambart
Best House Director M/T/Wa/Wo 50
Winner: Nick West in Meynell
Best Actor Woodard 40
Best Ensemble Best Actress Meynell 40
Nominations: The School Kids and Teachers and Best Ensemble Wakeman-Lambart 30
Extras in Wakeman-Lambart
Best Supporting Actor Meynell 25
The Four Play Casts in Talbot
Best Supporting Wakeman-Lambart 25
Winner: The School Kids and Teachers and Extras in Actress
Wakeman-Lambart
Best Use of Props Talbot 20
Best Supporting Actress Best Use of Costume Woodard 20
Nominations: Jenny Griffiths, Woodard Best Cross Dresser Meynell 15
Vicky Leadbeater, Woodard Best Romantic Moment Meynell 15
Anna Nilsson, Woodard Totals Meynell 145
Sarah Richardson, Meynell Talbot 120
Bethany Lyttle, Meynell Woodard 110
Luca Kuhn, Wakeman-Lambart Wakeman-Lambart 105
Jenny Eckhoff, Wakeman-Lambart
Ruslana Rashchupkina, Highest Scoring House Play - Meynell
Wakeman-Lambart Congratulations to Meynell and so much for the statistics!
Isabella Kolb, Talbot
Stella Lesch, Talbot
Winner: Luca Kuhn, Wakeman-Lambart

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Little Shop of Horrors Cast List
They may offer you fortune and fame, Seymour Krelborn Henry Maybury
Love and money and instant acclaim, Audrey Luca Kuhn
But whatever they offer you Mr Mushnik Paul Scull
DON’T FEED THE PLANTS!” Chiffon Jenny Griffiths
With the success of the Arena Arts Programme’s Crystal Daisy Clarke
Summer Expedition performance, the Senior School Ronnette Hanna Swan
presented the full all-singing, all-dancing version of the Audrey II RCP
popular musical. Orin Scrivello Matt Steggles
It is the story of Seymour Krelborn (Henry Maybury), a Narrator Emily Palmer
hapless flower shop assistant who is hopelessly Customer Annabel Rogan
infatuated with his co-worker, the naive but sweet Audrey
(Luca Kuhn). Both of them are struggling to get out of Radio Announcer Tom Phillips
Skid Row, a gritty and dirty gutter of a small city Mrs Luce/Bernstein Emily Palmer
somewhere in the world. In a desperate bid to escape Crazy Patient Tom Phillips
the vicious circle that has become Seymour’s life he
Skip Snip Amber Cauchi
nurtures a plant, named Audrey II (an absolute show
stopper voiced by Head of Music Roger Paul and Patrick Martin Ben Williams
puppeteered by Biology teacher Robert Heaton) and it Chorus
brings him instant fame due to its unusual nature and its
strange appearance. Amber Cauchi, Emily Palmer, Tom Philips, Annabel
Rogan, and Ben Williams.
The audience experienced life in downtown Skid Row
and in the flower shop owned by pessimistic Mr. Mushnik
(played by Paul Scull), saw the crazy goings-on of the
sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello (a little too realistically
played by Matthew Steggles) and experienced a host of
other quirky but lovable characters such as the
ragamuffin Shoop-shoop girls (Jenny Griffiths, Hanna Right: Henry
Swan and Daisy Clarke), a suitably crazy patient played Maybury (left),
by Tom Phillips, who also wrote and devised some Paul Scull and
wonderfully wacky radio snippets tailor-made for the Luca Kuhn
show.
The show was a great
success and demonstrated
the wealth of talent here at
Ellesmere College. It was a
truly memorable production
for all who took part in it.
HC

Below, from left: Matthew

Steggles, Tom Phillips,
Daisy Clarke, Jenny Griffiths
and Hanna Swan
Left: Henry Maybury with Audrey II

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

All in the Timing

2010 Middle School Play

Arabian Nights
Flora
Sofia Khan
Norman
Dominic Ryder
Interpreter
Annabelle Martin-Jones
Time Flies
May
Georgina Ottaway
Horace
Luke Taylor
David Attenborough
Ben Williams

After so many successful productions this year, the Degas, C’est Moi
Summer Term saw the turn of the Middle School pupils Ed Dominic Simpson
to take to the stage. In something of a departure from Doris Sarah Carr
past productions the students, who had been developing
their dramatic talents all year in Middle School Drama Man 1 Mark McBrien
Club, presented a sequence of eight short comic plays Man 2 Ben Williams
by the contemporary American playwright, David Ives. Woman 1 Amber Cauchi
Demonstrating his typical obsessions with wordplay, Ives’ Woman 2 Molly Venner
comedies spin absurd tales of love, language and Captive Audience
missed opportunities, with the occasional Communist
dictator and monkey thrown in. Whilst the pieces were TV Man Paul Scull
often witty and fast-paced, light and funny, at the same TV Woman Hannah Swan
time they also touched on the deeper issues of life, the
Rob Joe Pescod
universe and everything which, like all good comedy, got
the audience thinking. All the pieces explored different Laura Alice Tow
aspects of the theme of time. Golf, or the Art of the Fugue
The strong and lively cast was directed by English and Chuck I Charles Coppinger
Media teacher Margaret Hutchings, working alongside
two Sixth Form students, Ben Lingard-Lane and Luke Chuck II Dominic Simpson
Ottaway, who had been assisting with Drama Club as Chuck III Luke Taylor
part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Amy Daisy Clarke
All in the Timing played to highly appreciative audiences Annie Georgie Cutcliffe
for two nights in the Arts Centre. A big thank you to Alma Kate Parry
everyone who was involved. A special mention must be
made of Miss Amy Darrant, Head of Physics, who Variations on the Death of Trotsky
proved equal to the difficult task of sourcing one of the Trotsky Lewis Allsop
longest and most bizarre prop lists we have ever had,
Mrs Trotsky Bethany Lyttle
including vintage typewriters, golf clubs, a tyre swing and
an axe which could appear to be buried in Leon Trotsky’s Ramon Mark McBrien
head.
Backstage
MEH
Stage Manager Joe Haigh
Sure Thing Lighting and Sound David Whitehead
Bill Ted Fawke William Johnson
Betty Alex Brooks Props Amy Darrant
Siobhan Phillips
Words, Words, Words
Richard Curtis
Milton Bethany Lyttle
Emily Palmer
Swift George Fradley
Set Brian Davies
Kafka Ellie Osborne
Costume Sue Hinks

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Arts Awards 2009-2010

This was the first year of Arts
Award, giving students a more
structured framework for their
exploration of the Arts as well as
the possibility of achieving awards
at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. The
Gold Award is now worth 35 UCAS
tariff points and the Silver is a
Trinity Examinations Level 2
Certificate. At the end of the year
fifty-one pupils achieved their
Bronze Awards and two
successfully went straight for Silver.
Pupils have explored their creativity through music, drama,
dance, visual art, costume and make up, stage design,
and media. They have produced CD recordings of their
music, staged plays, written scripts, mounted exhibitions,
street danced, face painted and lit up both the stage and
the College’s cultural life with their infectious enthusiasm.
Alexandra Sloane and Aparajit Basu with their Silver
In the Lent term we celebrated the achievement of pupil Awards for Lighting Design and Scriptwriting
actors, artists, musicians, dancers and film-makers who
had entertained, enlightened and enlivened us over the
past year in an Arts Award Evening. Many pupils who had
made a significant contribution to the Arts were exhibiting,
performing or presenting work in the Arts Centre. Parents
and friends were warmly invited to join us for the evening
to see what their child and others had been creating at the
College. Throughout the evening there was the chance to
experience some of the very best scenes, songs, dances
and designs of the past year:
• Quickfire comic duologues from recent plays
• Uplifting duets from the school musical
• Chorus line dance routines
• Virtuoso solos
• Displays of technical wizardry
In the theatre, there were musical, dramatic and dance
performances from our most gifted and talented
performers and we were able to watch clips from the best
pupil films of the year. In the foyer, our visual artists were Above: Pupils enjoy model-making at The Hive
exhibiting their work and giving live demonstrations of their
Below left: Dance masterclass with Street Dance
skills in portraiture and the media arts.
legend, C Sharp
We had some wonderful cultural trips to London and Below right: Learning DJ skills at The Hive
Liverpool and some very stimulating workshops in Dance,
Cartoon Drawing, Stage Make Up and Model Making.
RPB

68

Bronze Arts Award Programme
A Review of Dorian Gray by the Matthew Bourne
Dance Company
at the Lowry Theatre, Salford, 23rd October 2009
by Ruslana Rashchupkina (Year 11)
About more than a century ago Oscar Wilde introduced
his fabulous book The Picture of Dorian Gray to the
world, and today the book has been updated and turned
into an amazing dance piece of theatre by Matthew
Bourne. I have seen this performance in Manchester on
the 23th of October and I thought that it was of an
incredibly high standard. I can`t possibly compare it to
the other performances I have seen, because it was
perfect and flowed very smooth, as if it wasn’t live!
Although this dancing piece isn’t the exact copy of the
book, because it was updated, it still has the same theme
and storyline. The storyline is presented as Dorian
(Richard Winsor) being a waiter at a party when he
meets fashion photographer, Basil Hallward (Jason
Piper), the portrait painter of the novel. The infamous
portrait is updated to an iconic photo, making Dorian the
face of a new fragrance, aptly named Immortal. The
theme was Dorian’s obsession to stay famous and
immortal as in the picture.
As far as the dancing goes, I felt like it was very
impressive and gracious, although quite repetitive
sometimes. The team of performers was very
professional and stayed in their roles as well as keeping
together, bringing out the atmosphere of the whole story.
Multi-role playing was present, where some of the
dancers turned into models or other needed characters
of the play. There were also some clever switches in the
characters – Lord Henry, Dorian’s influential corrupting
influence, becomes Lady H (Michela Meazza), a Devil
Wears Prada style media mogul who takes Dorian under
her wing and into her bed, introducing him to a life of
fame and celebrity parties.
69
The Ellesmerian 2010
Movement and gesture were very important to develop
the character and all the dancers used it very well, they
were showing some big movements and gracious
gestures in order for every single person in the audience
to see the feelings and understand their characters. The
actors worked well in a team and so no one let the show
down, as all the actors and musicians were very strong
and understood the importance of making the book story
real. This team made the audience catch their breath
and made them understand every single message
carried throughout the play by their dancing. The good
examples of this are the ones that include the
connection between Dorian and another character,
where within minutes the two are embroiled in an
erotically charged scene which is tense, athletic and
certainly breathtaking.
The most impressive things about this performance I
thought were set, lighting and music. The set was very
original, making the multiple places needed easy to
show. They had set-changing all the time; even though it
sounds very difficult it was easy by simply having part of
the stage moving different ways. This helped hugely to
show different party places, different houses and
studios. This idea was supported by lighting, which was
different for different places and times of the day. As well
as that I loved the lighting because for each place they
had different lamps hanging, coming from the top of the
theatre. The music was partly live and partly recorded,
depended on which atmosphere was needed and what it
was needed for. The music was very well connected with
use of media, e.g. the pictures of Dorian appearing on
the screen at the same time as the photographer was
taking them, this tells us how well thought out the whole
thing was. This leads to the most important thing of all,
which is amazing directing, which made the whole drama
work so smoothly and naturally. Direction was very good
in all respects, but especially in where everyone should
be on stage, where to move and present each sentence
through their body language. I have never seen anything
to be so perfect, which idealizes Matthew Bourne in my
eyes.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Imitation of Life
A new play by Catherine Wignall
Having performed in numerous school productions
at the College, at The Lowry in Salford and in the
USA, Catherine went on to direct two House plays
with great success. It seems that in her gap year
she felt there was one more challenge to be met –
writing her own stage play for students at
Ellesmere.
The play was performed in three acts, and depicted
the life and relationships of the character Charlie
(played by Dominick Coppinger), his sister Sarah
(played by Victoria Leadbeater) and their friend
Daisy (played by Charlotte Boffey).
The first act was set in a family kitchen in 1967, with
Charlie and Sarah playing hide and seek and hiding
together under a table. This was cleverly staged
with a giant, outsized table and doorway, helping us
to believe that the Sixth Formers really were young
children. The dialogue between Charlie and his
sister, both afraid of the dark, portrayed sibling
relationships with wit and perception. The writing
demonstrated a remarkable ear for dialogue from a
novice playwright. There was much laughter from
the audience in Act 2, set in a bedroom in 1980, as
Charlie’s first romantic encounter with Daisy
unfolded on stage. The use of classic farcical
elements as characters exited and entered the
stage to find other characters in compromising
situations was handled with precision and delicious
comic timing.
The third act, thirty years on, was set in the sitting
room of Charlie and Daisy’s matrimonial home. It
portrayed the challenges of communication and
modern-day living, exploring the influence that
partners can bring to bear upon each other. The
arrival of Sarah following a period of non-
communication between the two siblings then
depicted the tensions and complications of
families and the managing of reconciliations.
These mature and adult themes were brought
across to the audience by the fine acting of all
three of the cast.
To calls of “Author! Author!” from the audience, the
cast, stage hands and director encouraged
Catherine Wignall to take the final bow to
enthusiastic applause. Whilst the members of the
cast will be continuing their drama at the College
with House plays and an examination performance
next year, Catherine will be starting her degree
course at Warwick University, reading English with
Drama, after having spent a few weeks this
Summer with the National Youth Theatre learning
stage management techniques, as well as visiting
the Edinburgh Festival in August.
Having taught Catherine drama from Lower School
upwards I have known that she has always had a
passion for the stage and considerable talent for
acting and directing. I really feel however that she
has found a possible vocation as a playwright. I am
delighted that through our Arena Arts Programme she Top: Catherine Wignall working on the script
was able to explore and develop her interest and her Centre: Daisy (Charlotte Boffey) and Charlie (Dominick
ideas. This is a remarkable debut and we await her Coppinger) in their first romantic encounter
future pieces with eager anticipation. Watch out Above: Daisy and Sarah (Victoria Leadbeater) in the
Warwick!
third scene
RPB

70

Music
The Three Choirs performing at their Summer Concert, conducted by Roger Paul, Director of Music
Music Is Fun
In September the music department opened its’ doors to
nearby junior schools, including Ruyton and The Firs
(Chester). Pupils had a great time. The day began with a
short performance given by the College’s visiting music
staff. This included Jazzy Numbers by Roger Paul
(piano), Tim Smith (guitar) and Sarah Smith (violin).
Gaynor Ellis (vocals) also performed a moving rendition
of Summertime by Gershwin. After this, the day was
divided equally between String, Percussion, Keyboard,
Left: A young musician has a
go on one of the biggest brass
instruments in the orchestra
Below: A group of local
Primary School pupils listen
enthralled to a presentation by
John Dover
71
The Ellesmerian 2010
Brass/Woodwind and Vocal workshops. A Grand Finale
took place in the Arts Centre at the end of the day
featuring music by Michael Jackson. All the pupils
involved performed together, accompanied by Roger
Paul (Director of Music), Tim Smith, Gary Santry (drums)
and John Dover (bass).
Autumn Concert
The Autumn Concert took place on Thursday 15th
October. There was a varied programme, ranging from a
Mozart Bagatelle, played on the violin by Naomi Craig, to
Mamma Mia, sung as a duet by Daisy Clarke and Kate
Parry. Other string solos included a Rondo by Seizt,
performed by Elizabeth Walsh (violin); Saint Saens’ The
Swan played by John Paul (‘cello); and Adoration by
Borowski, performed by Luke Taylor (violin). The
audience was also treated to a solo on the Chinese
violin, Horse Race Through the Forest, played by Kevin
Zhang.
There were also many enjoyable vocal solos. Daisy
Clarke sang a song from Fame. Two new students, Lily
Wilson and Sophie Austin, both in Y7, performed Castle
on a Cloud and Carrickfergus respectively. Jenny
Griffiths sang On My Own from Les Miserables. This was
followed by further exceptional performances from Henry
Maybury and Luca Kuhn.
Piano solos included Will Ainge’s popular Top Cat theme
tune and a Grade 6 piece from Alice Tow (Y9). We were
also treated to a stunningly accurate performance of the
First Movement of Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique by
Ben Huang.
All sections of the orchestra were represented. Angelo
Daniel played the theme from Dad’s Army on the cornet,
and there were several lively woodwind items including
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Emily Roberts’ Sicilienne by Paradis, Hannah Ward’s Three Choirs at Christmas

Oom-pah-pah and George Fradley’s jazzy Mr Creek by
James Rae. Richard Walsh played a lyrical melody This year the Choral Society began the choral Christmas
entitled Summer by Paul Read and Afra Ekert treated the festivities by singing in Ellesmere Town Centre at the end
of November. This was in addition to the usual Advent
audience to Poulenc’s Elegie.
Carol Service which was held in Baschurch this year.
The evening ended with the sound of the Ellesmere Next followed two Community Concerts by Lower School
College Orchestra performing The Good, The Bad & The Choir; the first was in the Children’s Ward of the
Ugly followed by themes from Pirates Of The Caribbean, Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, and the second took
which received an encore from the audience. The quality place at Dolywern Residential Home. Both were well
of the entertainment was a testament to the hard work received and the latter was particularly enjoyable as the
and talent of all the musicians involved. pupils were able to meet the residents and chat to them
after performing.
Battle of the Bands The main Christmas event was, of course, the Carol
Services. This year the choir (numbering fifty-five in total)
had to spread out onto the congregational seats. Afra
The 5th Battle of the Ekert, Sarah Richardson and Jenny Griffiths each
Bands took place on performed the solo of Once in Royal David’s City on
October 8th. A consecutive nights. The choir carols included Gaudete,
packed theatre saw Rutter’s Angels Carol, a lively spiritual arranged by Roger
the College’s rock Paul, a rendition of Away in a Manger, and the well-loved
talent at its best. The Torches by John Joubert. The commitment and hard
first act comprised work of all the choirs was much appreciated by those
George Fradley and who worked with them and heard them.
John Paul on piano Music Examinations
and drums, playing a
medley of songs A group of musical pupils celebrated their success with
from various genres. the Associated Board of Music examinations they took at
Next, Tom Phillips the College in December. The school again achieved

Josh Boswell (above)

and Luca Kuhn
(right), two of the
performers in a
Battle of the Bands
high on atmosphere
and talent

sang his self-

composed song
Future Soon to Pupils of Distinction, pictured from left to right: Luke
great applause. He Taylor, Beth Hulme, Naomi Craig and Sophie Pritchard,
was followed by the and (below) John Paul
Year 11 band, who
played the well- 100% success rate with a
known Nirvana hit number of pupils who
Smells Like Teen achieved Merits and four
Spirit. Ellesmere’s who gained Distinctions:
very own Dream Naomi Craig, Year 8
Theater (a progressive metal band from New York) (Grade 5 Saxophone),
tribute band came next. They performed the songs Beth Hulme, Year 7 (Grade
Prophets of War and The Root of All Evil. 2 Harp), Sophie Pritchard,
Year 8 (Grade 1 Clarinet)
Sam Clewlow returned to Ellesmere to play bass as part and Luke Taylor, Year 10
of Josh Boswell and Johnny Pescod’s band, with Mr Paul (Grade 7 Violin). Later in
on drums. They performed three popular songs, the academic year several
including Beat It and Are You Gonna Be My Girl, the other pupils achieved
latter with Will Bevan on tambourine. Finally, the staff Merits in their exams and
band took to the stage, with guests John Cowley (guitar) John Paul achieved a
and Luca Kuhn (vocals), who rounded off the evening Distinction in Grade 8
with the Stones’ Wild Horses, Ruby, and I Will Survive. ‘Cello.

72

The Ellesmere College Choral Society and Chamber Orchestra performing
Faure’s Requiem in the Chapel
Choral Society Concert
Ellesmere College was alive with the sound of music
from France and Italy on Saturday 13th March when the
Choral Society performed Fauré’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s
Gloria. Ellesmere College pupils, staff, parents and
members of the local community are all represented in
the Ellesmere College Choral Society, which has existed
for many decades and annually performs a concert that
takes place in the College Chapel.
The concert included three professional soloists from
Manchester, Roger Barlow, Sasha Johnson and Holly
Marland, as well as the Ellesmere Chamber Orchestra
with some of the College’s Music Scholars; Afra Ekert, in Ellesmere pupils enjoyed meeting and listening to
Year 13 (Oboe), George Fradley, in Year 10 (Timpani)
and John Paul (Cello), also in Year 10.
The Choral Society rehearsed for many months under
the direction of Director of Music, Roger Paul, who
conducted the performance. The soloists and orchestra
were excellent and they complemented the months of
hard work that the Society has put into rehearsals.
Oswestry Music Festival
At this year’s Oswestry Music Festival Ellesmere College
was the best-represented School. Many pupils took part
Oswestry Music Festival Winners
From left: Elizabeth Walsh, John Paul, Luke Taylor,
Freddie Herzog, Matthew Dewhirst, George Fradley
The Ellesmerian 2010
in a variety of classes and age
ranges. This year the school had a
special mention in the final concert
for entering a pupil on the Chinese
Violin.
For the second year running, first
place was achieved in the Youth
Choir Ages 21 and Under class by
the Ellesmere College Chapel Choir,
thus retaining The Harry Moore-
Bridger Cup. A trio of Year 10 pupils,
George Fradley (piano), John Paul
(‘cello) and Luke Taylor (violin) won
the Instrumental Ensemble Ages 19
and Under. John Paul then went on
to win the String Solo Ages 15 and
Under. Lower School pupils, Sophie
Austin, Year 7 and Elizabeth Walsh,
Year 5, won Vocal Solo and String
Solo respectively in the Ages 12 and
Under classes. John Paul and
George Fradley won the Piano Duet class whilst Alice
Tow, Year 9, won the Piano Solo Ages 15 and Under.
Numerous second places were also won by pupils,
including Henry Maybury and Daisy Clarke (Vocal Duet
Ages 21 and Under); Luke Taylor (String Solo Ages 15
and Under); and Year 8 pupils Naomi Craig (Woodwind
Ages 12 and Under) and Beth Hulme (String Solo Ages
12 and Under). Congratulations should also go to those
who achieved third places; George Fradley, piano; Kevin
Zhang, Chinese violin; Angelo Daniel, cornet; Lower
School Choir; Kate Parry and John Paul, instrumental
duet; Kate Parry and Daisy Clarke, vocal duet; and Emily
Roberts, woodwind. As well as performing, the
performers from other schools. It was great for them to
receive such encouraging feedback from the
adjudicators.
Three Choirs Summer Concert
After weeks of rehearsals since the beginning of the
term, the Choral Society joined the College’s Senior and
Lower School Choirs to sing in front of a packed
audience in Big School. The enthusiastic Lower School
Choir, conducted by Rebecca Paul, music teacher,
opened the programme and set the scene, performing
My Heart Will Go On from Titanic and O when the Saints.
Three talented Year 10 musicians, George Fradley, John
Paul and Luke Taylor, then accompanied Year 11 pupil
Luca Kuhn singing Try, from the musical Fame. This was
followed by Helen Coney, the Arts Centre Manager and
accomplished saxophonist, performing I wish I Knew
How It Would Feel To Be Free by Billy Taylor.
The evening of song included a medley from Les
Miserables preformed by the Community Choir. Between
performances by the Choirs the Scholar’s Ensemble
played the overture to The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
and the orchestra performed highlights from Star Wars,
The Phantom Menace by John Williams, as well as
Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which included an amusing
vocal accompaniment by Roger Paul, Director of Music.
The talented singing duo of Daisy Clarke and Henry
Maybury again delighted their audience by singing
Somewhere over the Rainbow and the Lloyd-Webber
favourite, All I Ask of You, from The Phantom of the
Opera. The evening ended with a Grand Finale featuring
all the performers, well over one hundred voices, singing
two favorites: What a Wonderful World and Bridge Over
Troubled Water.
73
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Malta ‘10 Music Tour
Thursday
The four-hour flight touched down past midnight, and we
wandered through customs in varying states of
alertness. The coach driver woke us up though: a
breakneck ride through the narrow, uneven roads of
Malta managed to shake most people conscious enough
to negotiate the scrum at check-in and find their rooms to
crash out on their beds. We got to sleep at about 3.30am.
Friday
Breakfast was followed by a practice in the hotel
conference room – the choir sounded very good, a
considerable achievement after being up half the night
before. A walk around Sliema to get our bearings
preceded lunch at the Hotel Plevna. The afternoon was
devoted to the Sliema Pitch, a large seawater pool with
facilities for water polo, a bar and access to some fairly Riding the open-top bus through Mdina
large waves on the open sea. We explored the caves
which went back into the island about fifty metres, swam,
played beach football and ate Magnum Sandwiches, among other things. We went to dinner at the local Pizza
Hut before going up to the rooftop before bed.
Saturday
The day of our first concert dawned. Breakfast was at
8.30 before we set off for Mdina at 9. Breakfast was
always at this time, yet Luke and I developed our own
morning schedule, which ran like this: 8.00 a.m. receive
wake up call; 8:01 leave phone off the hook and return to
sleep; 8.30 one of us has the first shower whilst the other
gets things ready; 8.45 swap; 9.00 go down to breakfast,
eat a pancake and a kiwi, then get on the bus as it starts
to leave. Despite this, we never held up the coach.
Somehow, we ended up with an open-top bus, which
proved to be excellent, especially with the same manic
bus driver as on our arrival. Rolling through the
countryside towards Mdina was brilliant.
When we got to ‘The Silent City’ we
proceeded on foot towards the church.
A rehearsal was followed by the
concert, and our performance was
greeted with an enthusiastic reception
Malta scenes from the residents, who had turned out
Top: bus and crazy driver in quite large numbers. A traditional
Right: local colour Maltese lunch of ham ftiras (or ‘Rocks’
Below:Year 10s enjoying as they became known) was followed by
their free time a bus ride back to Sliema Pitch.
Far right: walking through
the streets of Mdina

74

Sunday
Late breakfast was followed by a bus ride to Valletta,
where we found the largest pothole in road history. The
morning was spent in Valletta, the capital of the island,
either shopping or singing in the Anglican Cathedral for
Sunday Mass. A flurry of photo-copied pages and some
hasty sight-reading led to a good service, with possibly
the craziest and most technophobic priest I have ever
encountered.
We returned to Sliema for the afternoon, before travelling
to the other side of the island for a concert in a local
monastery, courtesy of Amber Cauchi’s grandmother,
Marion Peterson. We were slightly held up, and expected
a fairly small audience. Imagine our surprise when the
church was packed to the very back, an audience of
about six hundred in total. The concert must have been
good, as one by one the congregation rose to their feet
at the end, giving us our first ever full standing ovation on
tour. With all those people there it was something to
behold. We stopped at St. Julians for dinner at the Hard
Rock Cafe, who were showing the football match which
no-one was interested in, having watched England’s
embarrassing defeat earlier that afternoon. However, as
the starter was served the match ended, and the evening
passed in typical Hard Rock style.
Monday
We took another bus ride to the Mdina Glass Factory,
where, it seemed, the five glass-blowers made an entire
Big School’s worth of glass objects, ranging from vases
(35 Euros) to tiny horse-drawn carriages, ranging in size
(300-1200 Euros. Seriously). After watching the men at
their craft, which was truly amazing, I spent ten minutes
trying to find something wrong with a fish from the
cheaper ‘seconds’ section, and was unable to, until Kate
pointed out to me that its nose was missing. I therefore
put it back, picked up an unbroken one, and joined the
queue, which consisted of the entire choir and a few
bewildered holiday-makers.
We visited the Sliema Pitch for our last swim there,
before going to Valletta’s Anglican Cathedral for our finalwere all excellent spectacles. The majority of the group
concert. The audience was not as large as the previous
night, but the concert went well. George was very happy
to have a proper piano to play Beethoven on. We
Mr Paul (left) with choir members outside the Anglican Cathedral
in Valletta
The Ellesmerian 2010
Right: Ryan
Cawsey and
Will Ainge
making the
most of their
free time
Below:
swimming
with dolphins
returned to Sliema in the evening where we split up
between Pizza Hut, Macdonald’s or a traditional Maltese
restaurant. We chose the third option: La Pappa’s was a
deceptively large restaurant with a wide range of food
which we greatly enjoyed.
Tuesday
Our last full day was spent at the Aqua Marine Park,
which was split into two sections. In the morning we
watched the Sea Lion, Parrot and Dolphin shows, which
then went to the Water Park, but some stayed behind to
do the side option of Swimming with Dolphins. I decided
to watch - it looked fantastic, and anyone who was in the
water would definitely tell you the same story.
The water park was split into three
sections: The main slide section, the wave
pool, and the rubber ring hardcore slide
section. Many people complained of the
slides being too slow, but they were
unaware of the best ways to maximise
water slide speed. 1. Raise yourself off the
floor. 2. Keep your head down. 3. Make
sure arms and feet are the only points of
contact. If you did that, you found out why
the extra bits of slide to stop people falling
out on some of sharper bends weren’t a
waste of time! The best and most original
slide was the Sidewinder, which had
rubber rings which you pushed off a high
platform down a near-vertical slope and up
the other side.
We returned to the hotel for dinner, before
packing for the flight the next day. It was
definitely an excellent trip. Although I still
wonder what has become of my swimming
shorts, which, halfway through the plane
journey home, I realised were still on the
bathroom towel rail.
John Paul
75
 The Ellesmerian 2010
In and Around
Maura von Voris Revisits the College
Maura von Voris running a workshop for Arena Arts
students
A former Theatre GAP Student, Maura returned in
January 2010 to run a series of ‘A’ Level and GCSE
drama workshops. Maura is from Boston,
Massachutusetts, USA. She first visited the College with
the Tabor Academy theatre group on one of its regular
tours of the UK. She then spent the academic year
2006/7 at Ellesmere College as the first Arena Arts
Centre Manager, before starting a degree course back in
the USA at The Hartt School of Music, Dance and
Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut. Now in her third year
of study for a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Actor Training,
Maura was invited to return to the College before
commencing a three-month Intensive Shakespeare
course in Birmingham.
Maura was an energetic and innovative drama tutor
during her year in Ellesmere, and Richard Boswell,
Director of the Arena Arts Programme, was delighted
to be able to invite her back to run some voice and
speech, movement, text and Shakespeare
workshops.
Wine Appreciation Society
Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Shiraz, Burgundy,
Chablis, Champagne, Gewurztraminer, Rioja,
76
Sauvignon, Chianti, Pinot Noir. At the start of the Lent
Term, the Sixth Formers who enrolled on the Wine
Appreciation Course knew very little about these very
different wines. However as the course drew to a close
everyone’s knowledge had improved considerably, to the
extent that we were able to identify, in a blind tasting,
where the wine came from (New World or Old World)
and what type of grape it originated from. This
knowledge was only made possible by our excellent
tutor, Jonathan Hislop, who eloquently explained each
week wine-making processes, the perfect wine-growing
conditions and of course how to sample the wines by
assessing their appearances, aromas and tastes. As well
as many different wine varieties, Jonathan’s expansive
wine cellar produced wines from the length and breadth
of the globe including Germany, France, Italy and Spain
for the Old World and Australia, New Zealand, Chile,
South Africa and the Lebanon for the New World.
The course culminated in an outing to the working
vineyard at Wroxeter, near Shrewsbury. This showed us
the process of wine-making in action and also how the
vines are grown. It was interesting to see that there was
even a market for English wine and also to be able to
taste very different wine from what we were used to. We
then spent the second half of the day at Tanners Wine
Merchants in Shrewsbury, which gave us an insight into
the marketing and business side of wine, after which we
tasted or “degusted” various different wines. One thing
that the course taught us was how to appreciate wine
and not to just drink it for the sake of it. We would all like
to thank Mr. Wood for organising the course and to
Jonathan Hislop for passing on his extensive knowledge
to us.
Freddie Herzog
Above: Learning about the
wine business from Mr
Robert Boutflower of
Tanners Wine Merchants
Left: Mr Wood and Mr
Jonathan Hislop (second
left) with the Wine Society
group after a lesson in
wine appreciation
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Ellesmere College Weather Station PSHE Day

In November Ellesmere College held its annual Personal
Social and Health Education Day. Pupils from Year 3 to
U6 covered topics as varied as Developing Confidence,
Respecting Differences Between People and Developing
Healthy Safer Lifestyles (Key Stage 2) to Sexual Health,
Self Defence and Binge Drinking (Sixth Form).
Year 7 pupils spent the day participating in team-building
exercises and Year 8 pupils’ day revolved around the
three topics Diet, Fitness and Health. For Year 9 Michael
Coats, Head of IT, delivered sessions that focused on
‘Making Good Personal Choices’, including aspects of
Internet Safety; Dr Chatterjee ran a session about the
effects of common illegal substances, solvent abuse and
smoking; and the School Nurses gave presentations on
the importance of putting quality food into growing
bodies, body awareness, sexual behavior and protecting
oneself from abuse.
The theme for Years 10 and 11 was ‘Taking
Responsibility’. Whilst Year 10 pupils focused on
bullying, Year 11 pupils participated in workshops that
covered Study Skills, Exams Survival as well as Alcohol
and Binge Drinking.
The PSHE Day is an important one for all pupils,
focusing attention on topics relevant to pupils’ ages.
Follow-up discussions take place in tutor groups in
subsequent weeks.
Sixth Former Jonathan Pescod (left) and Freddy
Herzog, Head Boy, in front of the Weather Station
monitor
Sited on the roof of the Library at Ellesmere College is
a solar-powered weather station, the latest addition to
the school’s resources. Instigated and co-ordinated by
the Head of Geography, Helen Scarisbrick, and
supported by the IT Team, the weather station receives
data and sends it to screens in Lower School, and the
Geography Department in Senior School. The data is
on the College Intranet and is updated every five
minutes. The College website will also be linked to the
weather station, which records temperature, wind chill,
rainfall, humidity, wind speed and direction, and
atmospheric pressure. It means that secondary data
can be stored over the years so that future pupils can
analyse climate data in the long term.

Above from left:

Year 9 pupils
Bryony Webster,
Jasmine
Douglas, Molly
Venner and
Samantha
Williams receive
dietary advice
during PSHE
Day

Left: Sixth
Formers learning
the skills of self-
defence

77
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Trainee Teacher from Down Under The Christmas Market then took place with many
Christmas items for sale, including the Sixth Form
Calendar and Ellesmere College 125th Anniversary
Christmas cards. The event was organised by Senior
Librarian, Kate Sampson, and a member of the
Modern Languages team, Christina Westwood,
supported by a team of Sixth Form students. The
catering team, supported by members of the Parents’
Society, served hot chocolate to pupils and mulled
wine to the adults, with mince pies and stollen
available to all. The Housemaster of St Luke’s, James
Baggaley, was in charge of the Bratwurst stand. The
event raised £400 for Hope House.
The Grow-Dome and The Plant Sale

Teacher from Australia

Back row from left: Jaimie Wakefield, Eve Davies, Millie
Shaw, Sabrina Forde-Johnson, Alex Sambrook-Jones, Guy
Lloyd and Bruce Buglass
Front row from left: Katie Stokes, Teresa Ellison and
Charlotte Davies

As part of a programme of international internships at

the Griffiths University in Queensland, Australia,
Ellesmere College Year 5 pupils enjoyed the additional
support of a trainee teacher from across the world.
Teresa Ellison, from the Gold Coast, is currently in the
fourth and final year of her teaching degree. Mindful that
she needed to complete a period of teacher training
before she could graduate, Teresa was delighted to learn
that she could apply for a travel bursary and fulfill her
placement overseas. It was the mother of a former Gap
student who recommended that Teresa should apply to
the College. Living in College for six weeks, Teresa
gained valuable work experience alongside Elaine Top from left: Kieran Smith and Kieran Young
Philips, Key Stage 2 Co-ordinator. Teresa’s English Front from left: Georgina Stackhouse and
experience included visiting the Luke Caldecott
Severn Theatre to see four
Ellesmere pupils in the English
Youth Ballet production of In recent years there has been much
Sleeping Beauty, and watching a horticultural activity in the grounds of
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Lower School in preparation for the
home match with colleagues. annual Plant Sale in May, in aid of the
Tanzanian charity, Monduli Green.
Christmas Tree Lighting Both the gardening activity group and
and Fair the wildlife garden have benefited from
In November Ellesmere College’s the installation earlier in the year of the
Lower School Choir was once grow-dome, a rather sculptural addition
again singing enthusiastically at to the Lower School landscape. The
the annual Christmas Tree greenhouse has meant that it has been
Lighting Ceremony, and for the possible to grow a variety of plants in
second year the event was great abundance, and pupils have
followed by a Christmas Market been involved in planting seeds,
for pupils, parents and staff in aid pricking out seedlings, planting on
of Hope House Hospice. The small plugs and making hanging
lights adorned a twelve-foot baskets. The seasonal hanging
Christmas Tree donated by the baskets, planted to order, are very
Ellesmere College Parents’ popular amongst staff and parents
Society, and the two youngest alike. Garden plants and wildflowers
Year 3 pupils, Amelie Davies and were raised for sale this year, the third
Rosie Holland, were invited to Rosie Holland (left) and Amelie Davies that the event has taken place. The
switch them on after the Choir ready to press the plunger to switch on sale is an important date for the diaries
had sung their Christmas Carols. the Christmas Lights of keen gardeners.

78
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Out and About

Auschwitz May 2010
James McCarthy and I
came to Auschwitz not
really knowing what to
expect. It is not easy
putting into perspective the
death toll of the camp,
which is estimated to have
been two million. But
Auschwitz 1 and Auschwitz
2 Birkenau described in
detail the individuals who
had worked and died there.
Even now I find it difficult to
put two million into my
Luke Ottaway at head and understand it as
Auschwitz a huge sum of individuals,
but clearly the camp has
taken great lengths to break that figure down, and you
certainly feel a lot more upset when you are actually
within the walls of death, than hearing about it in a
The infamous entrance to Auschwitz
History classroom. I saw the famous railway line that
separated one side of Auschwitz-Birkenau from the
other. The look-out towers stood menacingly near the
walls, which encircled the entire camp and were riddled
with barbed wire. It was eerie, but the numerous tourist
groups casually strolling around the place made it far
less intimidating than it could have been. The most
painful part of the whole experience
was going inside the only remaining
gas chamber. The walls within were
covered in finger-nail marks. No-one
talked in the gas chamber. A mark of
respect. But that heightened the
eeriness of the experience. It was
incredibly unsettling. Upon leaving the
camp, there was much to contemplate.
James and I had extensive debates, but
we both agreed it to be an experience
that we would never forget. Nothing in
these past several months has made
me think otherwise. The gas chamber at Auschwitz with, inset, the marks of
Luke Ottaway finger-nails on the walls

The Marathon Runners

The New Year presented a fresh set of challenges for Helen Coney, Arts
Centre Manager, and Jayne Griffiths, Academic Secretary, who learnt that
they had been allocated places for the 2010 London Marathon. Jayne (on
the right in the picture) was selected to run for the Robert Jones and
Agnes Hunt Orthopedic Hospital, and thus her additional challenge was to
raise a minimum of £1500 to secure her place in the Marathon. Helen was
allocated a balloted place, which meant that she was able to choose the
charities she supported with her participation. They were Everyman (a
charity that supports medical research into prostate cancer), Parkinson’s
Disease UK and The Little Princess Trust (a charity that raises funds to
provide wigs to children who have lost hair due to illness). She had
decided to apply for a place in memory of her uncle who died of cancer
last year; he completed the London Marathon himself some years ago.
Each of the charities she chose had particular significance for her and her
family.
They had just sixteen weeks to prepare themselves, and set up a daily
fitness routine at lunchtimes in the gym as well as training runs around the
local lanes and meres. Both completed the race. Jayne raised the £1500
for the hospital and Helen shared £1500 between her charities.

79
 The Ellesmerian 2010
History Trip to the Ypres
Battlefields
Long bus journeys, lots of laughs
and plenty of cemeteries is what I
expected of the 2010 History Trip.
I thought it would be interesting
and sad in parts but I didn’t think
that I would be so overwhelmed
with sadness. At the Menin Gate
Memorial in Ypres, inscribed with
over 50,000 names of British
soldiers lost in World War 1 but
never found, we saw the name of
Ralph Breckell. He was a former
pupil of Ellesmere College. The
thought that he was once sitting in
Big School really touched me and
others on the trip.
We learn many things in History
lessons but don’t always think of
them in context. At the Flanders
Museum, also in Ypres, there was
a very interesting exhibit. It
showed gas masks with gas
around them. How scary it would
have been to see massive
clouds of gas coming
towards you, knowing that it
would burn your throat, sting
your eyes and probably kill
you.
It is impossible to talk about
a battlefields history trip
without mentioning
cemeteries. We saw
MANY…. however it just
showed how many people
were actually killed. The
difference between the
British graves and German
graves reflected the war - the
victors and the losers. The
British graves were grand, Ed Shelley and Bethany Lyttle; two fifteen-year-
white and amongst beautiful
gardens. On the other hand,
the German graves looked dull and
gloomy. In the British cemeteries, it
was one big headstone per person,
with family messages and personal
touches. In the German cemetery
one tombstone could have marked a
grave containing as many as twenty
soldiers. There was a mass grave
with over thirty thousand German
bodies.
The history trip made it easier to
understand what World War 1 was
like, and in between cemetaries was
great fun for everyone. We would
like to thank Mr Wood for organising
the trip and the other teachers who
accompanied us.
Bethany Lyttle
Classics group outside Chedworth
Roman Villa
From left: Ed Shelley, Ben Williams,
Harvey Rickett, Ioan Parry-Jones and
Our classics pupils also took part in
Craig Tattersall in an Ypres trench
olds at the grave of a fifteen-year-old
80
Classics Trips
We organised a number of classics
trips during the year. For our main
trip, we returned in the Spring to
Bath and the South West, to visit a
number of Roman sites including
the baths in Bath, the museum at
Cirencester, and the villa at
Chedworth. We extended the trip to
include for the first time a visit to
Caerwent in South Wales, where
large parts of the defensive wall of
the Roman town have survived, as
well as the ruins of a number of the
buildings.
During the year, we also took the
opportunity to see some Greek
tragedies in performance. In
January we went to see Euripides'
Hecuba at Oundle School, and in
March we also went to see
Euripides' Medea at the New Vic
Theatre in Newcastle under Lyme.
a number of external
competitions. In December, we
submitted stories set in Roman
times for the Golden
Spongestick competition. In
March we entered for the first
time the international Medusa
Mythology Exam, which is run
from America, and three of our
pupils (James Hadden, James
Bateman and Emily Roberts)
won prizes. At the end of the
Summer Term, the work of
eleven of our pupils was
selected to be shown in an
exhibition in Oxford University's
Classics Centre to celebrate
the 2,500th Anniversary of the
Battle of Marathon.
IGT

Spanish Trip to Salamanca
The Spanish group in the Language School in
Salamanca, with some of their teachers
During the February Half Term a group of Year 13 pupils
spent a few days in the beautiful city of Salamanca.
Their time was divided between classes by way of
preparation for their impending exams, and experiencing
a variety of cultural delights which the city has to offer,
including a walking tour of the Old Town - and a salsa
lesson!
LMB
The Snowdon Relay Run
Date: 27th June 2010
Time: 4am! Dawn!
Weather Conditions:
Predicted to be the hottest day of the year.
Team:
Dr Chatterjee, Mr Baggaley, Mr Richardson, Matt
Steggles, Toby Blake, Niklas Haukohl, Ludwig
Schinzing, Rob Lau, Fabian Prinz, Owain Roberts,
Sam Thurmer, and Sarah Richardson
Once again the Snowdon run was a success, with the
team completing the relay from the College to the top
of Snowdon in 11 hours 45 minutes.
81
The Ellesmerian 2010
The task of organising the event was once again
undertaken by Dr Chatterjee along with Mr Baggaley,
and as usual, aims to give Ellesmerians the opportunity
to challenge themselves to a long-distance relay run
whilst raising money for two worthy causes. The two
charities chosen were Cancer Research UK, our leading
cancer research charity, and Chernobyl Continuity, which
helps children from Belarus who still suffer from the
aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear power station
disaster of 1986.
To add a competitive edge, the goal is to reach the
summit of Snowdon in less than twelve hours, which is
no mean feat. The run is done as a relay with two
runners completing each leg. Each pair completes five to
six legs of approximately three miles each. The total
distance is about seventy-five miles, with each runner
doing about fifteen miles, excluding the almighty climb up
Snowdon for all the team, although this is run at the end
by the maddest pair, in our case Matt and Toby. Despite
tired legs they still managed to run to the top from Pen-
Y-Pass in just over the hour.
At 4.15 a.m., in semi-darkness, Owain and I kicked off on
the first leg, leaving behind a busload of food, drink,
bleary eyes and barely awake bodies as many of the
team hadn’t seen this time of the morning since at least
New Year. Mr Baggaley dressed in his England sports kit
as it was also the day of the (rather horrific) World Cup
match England v Germany! Toby met us just outside
Oswestry and as the price for allowing him a lie-in, we
gave him a lovely hill to run up for his opening leg. Mr
Richardson (Dad) turned out
to be a really solid runner
and was very encouraging to
all the team throughout the
day. He was a last-minute
substitute and loved every
moment of it. Rob, Fabian
and Niklas had no idea what
to expect, but coped with the
demands fantastically. I
think they thought it was a
Left: Runners and supporters
Above: Sarah Richardson and Owain Roberts
recovering from their leg of the run
Inset: Veteran Snowdon Relay runner Toby Blake
 The Ellesmerian 2010
day-trip up Snowdon! Sam, Owain and I represented
Year 11 and showed that you are never too young. The
hardest sections we did of course reserve for the older
and more experienced runners (certainly not wiser - why
would you do it again?!). Toby and Matt were on their
second and third runs respectively and were even keen
to do the hills. Ludwig had been doing some serious
training and easily kept up with the others. The cross-
country sections were mainly run by Mr Baggaley and Dr
Chatterjee. They kept on telling us these were the tough
sections and required precise navigation - so why were
they doing them?
Each leg was very different, some short but hilly, others
longer, and some cross-country. Each, however,
presented a challenge. A great atmosphere of teamwork
built up between diverse characters, some of whom had
never met at school before. Team members paired and
re-paired (sometimes literally), with others stepping up to
do extra legs for any who were struggling. Typically, the
British weather did not do as predicted, there was light
cloud cover and it remained cool, not the blistering hot
day we expected. As it turns out, just the sort of day we
needed.
With Matt and Toby running the last leg, the rest of us
took a leisurely walk up to the peak with a running
commentary on the depressing Football game from
Ludwig, Fabian and Niklas (all supporting Germany!).
Everyone should be really proud of what they achieved
as it was definitely a challenge for everyone, even those
who had done it before. Special mention goes to our
driver Sue Richardson (Mum) who was the first driver to
complete the course without crashing the minibus, even
if the bus did physically leave the ground and take to the
sky during one “off road” leg.
It was a very long journey back. If we weren’t completely
bushed by the run (which we were) the walk up Snowdon
had finished us off, especially those relying on England’s
success to fortify us! After finishing off the last drinks and
snacks we all fell asleep, leaving Dr Chatterjee to talk
non-stop to the driver to keep her awake. When we
arrived in the quad there were many stiff limbs to say the
least, and the thought of Expeditions the next day for
most of us absolutely HORRIFIC! However, I think
everyone who took part enjoyed the experience and can’t
wait to do it next year - even if our legs aren’t quite as
keen.
Sarah Richardson
Monduli Green 2009-2010
Here is an update on one of the most exciting projects
undertaken through College fundraising
The drought in Monduli dominated both 2008 and 2009,
with many consequences. The health and happiness of
the people in the villages we are working with
deteriorated considerably and food was scarce for much
of 2009. Our reforestation project obviously took
second place when the threat of starvation loomed for
these people, and so it is surprising that any saplings at
all survived the year.
Lodaru Mollel who co-ordinates this project with
Ellesmere College, spent the summer in Monduli and
found that despite all the problems, about three hundred
saplings had survived through the drought.
Mollel oversaw the most exciting event in the project so
far. After the World Bank-funded pipeline to the town of
Monduli brought water to that small but important town in
82
eastern Tanzania,
Monduli Green looked
at ways to add a
branch of the pipeline
to the villages we work
with. Over the summer
this pipeline was built.
It is now complete –
the pipeline purchased
by Monduli Green and
constructed by the
villagers themselves.
For the first time ever,
the villagers have
water close to their
homes. To say they
Above: One of the 300 saplings to survive the drought
Below: Villagers construct the pipeline
are excited and pleased about this is really an
understatement. Especially the women! This will release
about two hours of their day that they can now use more
productively. It will have a hugely beneficial impact on
their lives, and also mean that tree survival through
drought will be improved.
The funding of the pipeline is in the form of a loan.
Villagers will repay the loan by tending saplings. How
does this work?! For each sapling that survives for six
months after being planted out, villagers will receive a
small stipend. Initially this stipend will go towards
repaying the cost of the pipeline (about £800). Later the
stipends will form a type of micro-financing to enable
villagers to start small enterprises, or invest in goods
which will ultimately save them time or money.
Monduli Green and the villagers feel that lending money
is a more sensible and dignified assistance than simple
donation. It neatly combines reforestation with the
possibility of borrowing money in the future; the impetus
for ideas and action is with the villagers themselves. As
far as Monduli Green is concerned, it also releases funds
for other green projects in the area.
We would, therefore, like to thank Mollel and his team in
Tanzania for coming up with this plan after much
discussion throughout the Summer. We hear that the
talk in Monduli villages is all about trees! Watch this
space!
CA
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Duke of Edinburgh
Awards
The High Sheriff of
Shropshire, Mr. Hugh Trevor-
Jones, presented Bronze
and Silver Awards to this
year’s total of forty-two
pupils from Years 12 and 13
to gain the awards. Pupils
are encouraged to continue
with the programme to Gold
level, as the training and
challenges involved are of
considerable benefit to pupils
as well as enhancing CVs
and job prospects. The
College has run the DoE
programme for fifty-three
years. During this time over
one thousand young people
have left school with a Duke The High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Hugh Trevor-Jones (centre), with award-winners
of Edinburgh Award.
section of the award. A large number did a Sports
Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award Leaders course, helping out with Lower School games,
The Year 10 pupils involved with Duke of Edinburgh were and others helped in Primary Schools, charity shops and
kept busy throughout the year. The first half of the stables. The Summer Expeditions were an opportunity to
Michaelmas Term was spent reminding the group of practice for the Silver Expedition. A lovely campsite in
things they’d forgotten over the summer break. Re- Quinta was the venue which we shared with the Year 9
acquaintance with Ordnance Survey Explorer maps was group. Two long walks were the requirement and
the main theme and this culminated in the October navigation skills were again tested, as were blistered feet
Expeditions in which their Bronze Expedition and aching legs.
Assessment took place. A pleasant, small campsite near It is hoped that the pupils look back with fondness to the
the foot of Dinas Bran in Llangollen was the centre of the expeditions and indeed all aspects of the Bronze Award,
action. As is customary, the pupils were dropped off and will take pride in their achievements. Miss Smith, Mr
considerably short of the campsite on Wednesday and Curtis and I wish them the very best as they now embark
had to navigate their way to the field. This they did with on the more challenging Silver Award in Year 11.
reasonable success and everyone managed to a) find JHC
the site, b) erect their tents, c) cook and eat a hot meal
and d) have a game of football before settling down for Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award
the night. The next day’s walk was conducted in rather ‘The Completion of a Physically Demanding Journey…’
wet conditions and bedraggled groups filed intermittently
I think every member of our group would agree that this
past the minibus checkpoints along the route. Some
was indeed a particularly ‘physically demanding journey’.
pupils learned the hard way that a tent not properly
We set off on what looked like a beautiful summer
fastened down will suffer somewhat in inclement
morning in June, our bags stuffed so full of food we could
weather. Fortunately the organisers had had the foresight
barely carry them and our stout boots well broken in after
to bring a few spares. After Half Term pupils spent their
our previous practice expedition – no more dreaded
Thursday afternoons working towards the Volunteering
blisters this time. As we stepped out of the ‘wagon’ and
into the stunning Cumbrian
countryside, in true D of E style
the heavens opened - what joy.
But this didn’t stop us; we set
about our first challenge, to find
our campsite and assemble our
tents. We walked alongside
Ullswater through the rain and
eventually after some tense map-
reading disputes, with lots of
disparaging comments about girls
and maps, we found the
campsite! We got into some dry
clothes, and ate and pitched our
tents in the dark, hoping the next
day would be a lot dryer!
My group felt so competitive (after
arriving last at the site the night
before) that we decided to wake
up bright and early to get off on
The Silver Duke of Edinburgh group in the hills of Cumbria our journey first this time.

83
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Leaving other slackers to enjoy Jack Smith’s full English,
we packed away our tents and on a abstemious brekkie
of gruel (well porridge actually), we were on our way
around Grasmere. The weather was much clearer and
we could enjoy the beautiful scenery on the surrounding
hills. We worked much better as a team on this second
day, helping those struggling and building up confidence
at the base of a hill which at the time appeared as
impossible as K2. As we reached the last few miles of
our journey we found a lake with a rope swing and some
of us couldn’t resist the temptation; in we went. We
pitched our tents and after cooking our tea went straight
to sleep.
The next day we packed away for the last time - what a
relief. It was a much shorter walk and our bags felt so
much lighter, after we had eaten most of the weight! We
turned the corner and I’ve never been so happy to see
our little white wagon. The journey back to school was
much quieter to begin with than the one to Cumbria, and
of course we had to have our traditional stop at the
service station to fill up on food to fuel many a rousing
chorus of We No Speak Americano to drive Mr Crawford
insane. This is certainly a CD that won’t be on his
Christmas list!
I would definitely do it again on condition there was a
nice bath waiting for me on return!!
Sarah Richardson
Silver Participants: Freya West, Jenny Griffiths, Sarah
Wicks, Sarah Richardson, Grace Tomlinson, Chloe
Prydden, Joanna Scull, Victoria von Hoven, Owain
Roberts, Will Mapstone, Will Jackson, Todd Dobie, Jack
Smith, Scarlett Walker-Smith.
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition
to Canada 2010
We did it! A year of planning and overcoming obstacles
and we did it! On the early morning of July 4th twenty-
five Sixth Formers (some slightly jaded victims of the
Sixth Form Ball the previous night) and six adults
associated in some way with Ellesmere College set off
on the long journey to Algonquin Park that was made
The full Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition crew at the Niagara Falls
84
longer by the four-hour delay at Manchester Airport.
Algonquin is a forestry reserve and true wilderness to the
north of Toronto. The planned three-day practice
followed by a planning day then four-day assessed
expedition became an eight-day expedition because of
the nature of the terrain, so these Sixth Formers (and
their supervisors) did an expedition above and beyond
requirements. And none of us would have missed it for
the world!
We lived for eight days in a wilderness with only the
resources carried with us, and those resources all had to
be carried from lake to lake in portages that in one case
was over a mile and a half. We drank purified lake water
and the lakes were our baths - they were also the
leeches’ lairs. Each little campsite had a loo that was a
pit covered by a wooden box – known as the thunderbox.
Incumbents sang and slapped the mosquitoes on their
legs while they performed. Unfortunately not all bared
areas could be thus protected from insect attack.
The bears avoided us (we probably smelled too bad) but
some of us watched a moose for about thirty minutes
and we saw a beaver as well as racoons and too many
chipmunks. It was an amazing experience. It was tough
physically and sometimes socially but the scenery and
the experience were unforgettable.
When we left Algonquin and arrived in the concrete and
glass wilderness of Toronto we were a little like Crocodile
Dundee – fascinated by the Walk/Don’t Walk signs and
water from taps. Icy cold drinks were joys beyond
compare. The turquoise power of the falls in Niagara,
which we visited before the return to the airport, was
hypnotic and some of us were looking for the last eddy
before the drop! The mist was wonderfully cooling.
This was all an astounding experience. All the
candidates did well and all learned valuable lessons (like
wearing shoes and not turning around with a canoe on
your head?). Some were outstanding and the girls in
particular were impressive in their stamina and good
humour. Previously unremarked strengths were
observed in all teams and they dealt well with problems.
Over the past twenty years or so around three hundred
Ellesmere students have paddled
towards a Gold Award, and even
though they haven’t all completed
it, they have had what they have
often called the “best two weeks of
my life”. They have all come back
enriched in some way. It has been
a great pleasure and privilege for
me to have been a part of that for
the last fifteen or so years and I
would like to thank everyone who
has been involved, from supportive
and appreciative parents to
colleagues such as Jan Heath who
has been the most generous,
hard-working and amusing of
friends; students who have been
funny, lively, courageous and
generally well-behaved; our canoe
instructors and assessors, Matt
Osburn and latterly Ben Scholes
and Ruari McCarthy, whose
knowledge and humour have been
invaluable.
Next stop the Palace, I hope!
RAM
 The Ellesmerian 2010

College Song of the Wilderness
(Apologies to Longfellow and the Songs of Hiawatha)
By the shores of Big Trout Water
And the shores of Big Sea Water
Stood the tents of Ellesmere College
Sons and daughters of the College.
Dark behind them rose the forest
Rose the black and gloomy pine trees
Rose the firs with cones upon them
Bright before them flowed the water
Flowed the clear and sunny water
With the leeches therewithin.
By the shores of Petawawa
On their backs canoes they carried
Barrels and canoes they carried
To the shining Big Sea Water
Miles and miles across the portage -
Timberwolf, Big Misty, called them,
Little Joe from Otterslide.
On their feet were cuts and blisters
On their legs the bites of insects
On their faces hope still shone
Looking still towards the sunshine
And the next meal - rehydrated -
And the barrels would get lighter
And the blisters would get better
And the breakfast pancakes sweeter.
There the tents would be assembled
And the feasts would be consumed
And the box along the pathway
Would be filled with thunder’s boom.
They will leave these tracks of splendour
Travel far away from here
Back to where there’s running water
Shining streams of running water
To a Palace travel westward
Find rewards awaiting there
From a Prince with richest raiment
Robes of fur and belts of wampum
He will give them medals there
Gold Awards await them there
If they finish, as they must do,
Tasks and skills and presentations.
Travel forward Hiawathas!
Sail into the fiery sunsets!
Sail into the future brave!
Don’t forget the Big Sea Water
And the lessons that you learned there.

This year’s teams were:

Alex Owen, Ben Lingard-Lane, Sam Phillips, Amy Kite, Pippa Price, James McCarthy, Jack Foster.
Rob Lau, Hugh Wignall, Harry Clewlow, Doug Allsop, Dani Stock, Ami Takahashi.
Luke Ottaway, Bogdan Davydov, Megan Bray, Olivia Churton, Gareth da Costa, Joe Cauchi.
Mel Evans, Zoe Evans, Charlotte Boffey, Sean Johnson, Julian Sole, Dominick Coppinger.

85
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Rugby

Summary of Results away with cheap penalties. As possession was minimal

we had little chance to be creative. We were unlucky not
v Old Ellesmerians W 42 - 7 to score, however, when a cross kick from Lloyd Hayes
v Llandovery L 7 - 43 found Martin Jones with acres of space and a simple run
v Old Swinford Hospital W 34 - 19 in. The bounce of the ball was atrocious and like a
v Bromsgrove L 12 - 55 magnet set off sideways to cover thirty metres and find
v Bishop Vesey’s W 31 - 0 touch. We finally picked up a penalty in the attacking
v Malvern W 57 - 5 zone and Lloyd Hayes put it over from forty-five metres
v Denstone College L 13 - 16 out. This brought the first half to an end with Ellesmere
v Birkenhead W 32 - 0 leading 3-0.
v Wilmslow W 22 - 7 While we had taken less ball in the first half we looked
much stronger in the scrum and gradually this became
A very young squad got together to prepare for a tough
an advantage. We worked the best score of the match
opening run of matches. To their credit they arrived at
five minutes into the second half when a switch back
Leave Weekend at the start of October with two wins and
from first phase after a scrum saw Lloyd Hayes power
two losses. The first win was against the OEs which
through two defenders and go in under the posts. As our
turned out to be quite comfortable as the opposition
possession increased further quick rucks led to Jake
tired. Unfortunately this game left us with a lot of injuries
Smithers going over in the corner. Our kicking game,
which was a serious difficulty in preparing for the next
excellent throughout, yielded two direct scores, one
match and which resulted in defeat at Llandovery. We
when their fullback failed to claim the ball and it bounced
held them up for the first half when the score was 7-17
up for James Webb, and the other after a clever chip from
but as we tired in the second half it became one-way
Lloyd Hayes caught the fullback out of position and
traffic and we lost by some margin.
allowed Ahmed Sesay to dribble over the line and touch
The following week spirits were raised when we took on down. Some weak tackling later in the game allowed
Old Swinford at home The first twenty minutes was a test them to claw back another two tries, but we finished with
of our defence. We secured very little ball and found a flourish when George Baxter picked up from a scrum
ourselves tackling wave after wave of Old Swinford and drove over. Cameron Milne’s celebration at this point
attacks. We played a controlled game and found good was worthy of rugby dinner mention; for someone of few
positions deep in the opposition half only to give them words it was a shock to one and all.

86

The match against Bromsgrove was a repeat of the
Llandovery fixture. We played downhill in the first half but
found ourselves without the ball for the first fifteen
minutes. In that time Bromsgrove stretched us with their
kicking game and achieved deep positions from where
they could attack. Their pressure brought two tries during
this period when on both occasions they recycled the ball
several times within ten metres of our line to force their
way over. We then had our best period of the game when
Bromsgrove gave some cheap penalties away and we
kicked for position. Our inability to win any of our lineout
ball during the game cost us dearly at this time and
despite being in their 22 on our throw three times we
came away without points. Bromsgrove continued to
infringe and Lloyd Hayes punished the opposition to
bring the score to 14 – 9. We exchanged further
penalties and then we gave away another in front of the
posts as we went offside chasing our own kick. As with
Llandovery we were in the frame at half time with the
score at 12-20.
In the second half we immediately got ourselves in a
mess from kick-off, failed to clear our lines and allowed
Bromsgrove to score. Heads dropped and we were
punished at regular intervals throughout the second half.
Bromsgrove playing with the slope played faultless rugby.
The following pattern dictated the second half: we kick
off and Lawrence Walters and Tom King try to get
amongst the opposition and tackle their receivers; they
secure the ball and kick for position from scrum half, and
camp in our half. Their kick chases throughout were
precise and we could not escape the pressure. We
began to look slow and tired, partly through the
sustained pressure we had been under throughout the
match in the scrum, lineout and driving maul, and also
because we were not matching the opposition’s fitness
levels. We gave them a couple of tries from buying a
dummy and coming up too quickly on the wing, but by
then the damage was done. The final score was a great
disappointment, but Bromsgrove played well and very
efficiently, and injuries to key positions in the front row
and at half back meant that we were under strength.
The season picked up from here after a rest over Leave
Weekend and the return of a number of players. Against
Bishop Vesey’s we managed a comfortable win without
playing free-flowing rugby. After starting brightly, with the
forwards taking control by shunting the opposition back
in the scrum and driving strongly from the lineout, it
looked as though we would be scoring freely. An early
move through the middle saw George Baxter score
under the posts. Similar space allowed Will Goodwin to
go through and round the fullback to dot down under the
posts. We then managed a try out wide by Ahmed Sesay
to give us a comfortable lead. However, we struggled to
move the ball down the line when the opportunities came
and so wasted a lot of hard-won possession. Bishop
Vesey’s began to move against us and we became
involved in a bit of a battle. In the second half we
struggled to put much rugby together and made a further
two scores through mistakes by the Vesey backs.
Our next fixture against Malvern allowed us to relax a
little. Initially we lapsed into the pattern of making errors,
but due to the weakness of the opposition we were not
punished as they struggled in the scrum and lineout. By
contrast we were able to launch moves from our own
scrum and create opportunities. The box kick from Bryn
Phillips was consistently accurate and good chasing
87
The Ellesmerian 2010
particularly by Ahmed Sesay put the opposition under
pressure. More care with the contact skills and ball
retention was required to really open the floodgates.
Backchat to the referee cost us penalties and position
and for a while it was one step forward and one step
back. We did however score some good tries mainly out
wide following good quick service from the halfbacks (a
notable feature throughout the match), powerful running
in the centre from Lloyd Hayes and George Baxter, and
good finishing on the wings. It was good to see the blind
side scrum move work and eventually result in a try for
Lawrence Walters.
We finished a busy week with a very good game of rugby
against Denstone on the windiest and wettest day so far.
We got off to a bad start and conceded a 5 metre scrum
which led to a try from the kick-off. Denstone added a
penalty and after fifteen minutes we were 10 - 0 down
with Denstone having played all the rugby. From this
point on we had the better of the game, just failing to
score on a couple of occasions before half time. We had
been battling against the elements which promptly
swung round when we changed ends. We kicked a
penalty and then spent twenty minutes battering the
Denstone line before eventually scoring; a break from
Lloyd Hayes who ran well throughout the game and a
slipped pass to Andy Coubrough saw us score under the
posts. Each time we scored we then gave a penalty away
from the kick-off which cost us the game. Although we
did enough to win the match we failed to break a strong
Denstone defence; we looked as though we would on a
number of occasions but ultimately we came up short.
The fixture against Birkenhead gave us a solid but fairly
scrappy win. After working hard up the slope we had a
good half-time lead of 17 – 0. After an error-strewn start
we had played tidy rugby to gradually accumulate this
score. Lloyd Hayes was in form, running through for a
brace, and we looked set to enjoy the second half. With
the slope we pressurised them to achieve a quick score
and our counter-rucking when chasing kicks was
impressive. Unfortunately we were drawn into some
unsavoury name-calling and the odd swinging handbag,
which then detracted from our second-half performance.
A further score and a clean sheet left us with a
satisfactory feeling nevertheless.
Against Wilmslow we made our best start to a match so
far, playing the first ten minutes in the Wilmslow 22,
pressurising the opposition in every aspect of forward
play and tackling their backs when they attempted to run
out. We missed a couple of penalties that would normally
have been taken and eventually slotted one and quickly
followed it with a pushover try from a lineout. After being
forced to defend our line for several minutes we were
given a penalty on our own 5 metre line. Bryn Phillips
tapped it and made a half break. Lloyd Hayes carried the
move on before passing to Martin Jones, who injected
pace to carry the ball clear before feeding George
Baxter, who had the pace to make it in under the posts.
This was not only our best try of the season but also the
best in any match I have seen this season. With a half
time lead of 15 – 0 we looked to be in a position to enjoy
the second half, but with numerous penalties at the
breakdown we were pegged back. Wilmslow eventually
managed to score a try, before an interception in the last
two minutes by Andy Oakden saw him run away and
secure the final points.
PAG
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Daily Mail Cup County and Regional Selections
v Sir John Talbot W 49 - 0
v Wrekin College W Shropshire U14 Shropshire U15
v Adam’s Grammar W 11 - 6 George Beal Louis Chaudron
v King Edward’s Lichfield W 20 - 7 Jonny Charmley Matthew Dewhirst
Oliver Lock Colin Dixon
After a confused start against Sir John Talbot that put us
under pressure on our own line we gradually began Alistair Miller Kyle McNamara
putting plays together that saw us score at will out wide. Edward Parker Samuel Owen
With many substitutions designed to give everyone a Thomas Parker Luke Taylor
game and not win too quickly, many combinations had Lewis Suckling James Latter
the opportunity to enjoy the game. Ten players turned out
for the 1st XV for the first time in this match, gaining good Edward Morris
match experience. Despite trying to even things out James Preston
Ellesmere remained too strong for Sir John Talbot and
the referee finished the game twenty minutes early. The
match against Wrekin College had a similar outcome. Shropshire U16 Staffordshire U16

Ellesmere gave a spirited performance against Adam’s Angus Cross Jack Baxter
Grammar in difficult conditions, holding them to just two Todd Dobie
penalties in the first half to turn round 6 - 6. After that we Matthew Macintosh Cheshire U16
failed to secure position with our kicking game as we Jack Smith George Hymes
should have done and gave away a string of penalties.
Adam’s failed to convert and eventually after twenty
minutes we finally made it into the Adam’s 22 and drove North Midlands U16
over from a close range lineout. We tackled well and Jack Smith
turned over ball consistently throughout the game to
produce a satisfying win.
Shropshire U18 Cheshire U18
Ellesmere put in a very good performance in difficult
conditions in Lichfield. We played with the wind and George Baxter Tom King
slope for the first half, and although we were denied a William Goodwin
good try with a forward pass called we managed to turn
Bryn Phillips
round 13 – 0 up at half time. Our balance of kicking and
running had been good and a third score was deserved Hugh Wignall
- we were well worth the lead. Knowing that we were Martin Jones
going to need to defend well we got off to a great start in Laurence Walters
the second half. Our pressure tackling had been good
throughout and we forced an error in their midfield and Andrew Coubrough
broke up field to score. This eased the pressure on us
and left the opposition with a lot of points to score. We North Midlands U18
defended for much of the half although we were unlucky
not to score late on when we pinned them in the corner George Baxter
with good forward play. They eventually pulled back a try William Goodwin
late on, but the game by then was won. This was an Bryn Phillips
excellent result that put us through to the last thirty-two
Andrew Coubrough
in the Cup. Unfortunately the snow in January meant that
we were unable to play further in the competition.
PAG
Squad: Anderson F, Baxter GW, Coubrough AT, Goodwin
WJ, Hayes RL (Captain), Johnson CD, Jones MD, King T,
Milne CJM, Oakden AS, Padgett MN, Phillips DB, Phillips
IW, Smithers J, Sole JO, Walters LT, Webb JP, Wignall
HE.
Full Colours Half Colours
Padgett Milne
Wignall Sole
Walters Smethers
Webb King
Hayes Phillips B
Jones Goodwin
Anderson
Coubrough
Baxter
Representing their Counties in Rugby
Thirty players - two teams’ worth!

88
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results 2nds shook the long journey from their legs with a
vigorous pre-match warm-up and got straight into the
v OEs game. We kept in close touch with Bromsgrove
v Bedstone College W 24 - 12 throughout but they eventually proved too much and we
v Old Swinford Hospital W 31 - 5 ended up as the losing side. A good game nevertheless.
After the trip to Bromsgrove we had four days to regroup
v Bromsgrove L 7 - 22 and recoup before the second of our Shropshire Derbies,
v Wrekin College W this time against Wrekin College. With great drive and
v Malvern College W 60 - 0 determination the 2nds ran out close victors, by the odd
v Bishop Vesey’s W try, over Wrekin’s 1st XV in what was a very scrappy
v King Edward’s School, Bath L 0-5 game.
v Denstone College L It is incredible what a victory over a local rival can do to
v Birkenhead W a team’s spirit and confidence and this was essential as
v Wilmslow W 10 - 7 we welcomed Malvern to the College. Malvern made a
good start but our slick passing, resolute defence and
The season started brightly with a solid performance and determination to win proved to be too much for Malvern
victory over Shropshire rivals Bedstone College. and we won overwhelmingly. After that big win Ellesmere
Ellesmere travelled with only fifteen men after a bruising welcomed the very tough and uncompromising boys
encounter with the OEs the previous Wednesday had left from Bishop Vessey’s. With a forward pack trained and
a number of players sidelined. Playing the game at times drilled by Samoan and Bath legend Zac Feau'nati, the
with thirteen men made life awkward for Ellesmere but Ellesmere team knew they would be in for a torrid time
they dug deep and ran out worthy victors. up front. However over the course of the eighty minutes
Ellesmere played hard and strong and ended up winning
Our next match saw Ellesmere play Old Swinford at the game with a bit to spare.
home. Buoyed by the recent win and resolute
performance over Bedstone the 2nd XV focused hard in After the hard-fought win over Bishop Vesey’s, Ellesmere
training, in preparation for the stern test we would receive College’s Senior XVs travelled down to Bath to take on
against the large pack and quick backs from Stourbridge. King Edward’s School. This fixture represented the
Ellesmere needed to start solidly, which they did, and standard which Ellesmere rugby has reached over the
with excellent defence and quick-thinking counter- course of the years, and each player was looking forward
attacking the 2nds held Old Swinford 7 – 5 at the break. immensely to the battle. A long journey and an often ill-
After half time Ellesmere began to cash in on the work tempered encounter made for a scrappy match which
done in the first half and eventually ran out clear winners. Ellesmere lost 5 – 0. The 2nds barely had time to lick
their wounds before it was back to hard training as the
If we thought that Old Swinford would be tough then eagerly-awaited Woodard Schools clash with Denstone
Bromsgrove would prove to be our toughest test yet. The College approached. We had become used to beating
89
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Denstone in the past, but rumours were rife that
Denstone were determined to put the record straight and
take this match from Ellesmere. It was not a good day for
running rugby; as such a tactical, not to mention
physical, forward battle ensued with no quarter given by
either team. Over the course of the game Denstone
proved too much for us and ran out close winners, setting
up the prospect of an enticing encounter next season…
Still smarting from this narrow defeat, the prescribed
tonic for getting back on track was an away fixture at
Birkenhead School. Another productive week of training,
shoring up the defence and adapting to the worsening
winter conditions, meant that we were well-placed to take
the game to the opposition. Fortunately it was one of
those games that suited us better and we ended as
comfortable winners.
The final game of the season was at home against
Wilmslow who, in the past, had proved to be very tough
opposition, and this year was no exception. Both teams
Fylde U18 Sevens
Tournament
Below and right
North of England
U18 Sevens
Above right and right
90
battled hard in the bitter winter conditions which
prevented the expansive game we had become
accustomed to over the course of the season. This was
a game definitely for the purist and the final score
demonstrated this, with Ellesmere winning by the odd
penalty kick.
Overall this was an enjoyable season with some
excellent rugby being played by all involved. At times the
team needed to dig deep to produce performances each
week that we could all be proud of. To the boys’ credit
they stuck to their task together, and grew as a team,
together. Roll on next season!
JJB
Squad: Allsop DJ, Brereton OD, Cave GT, Clutton CR,
Cole JR, Dewaurin R, Dreyer TH, Holt LF, Jenkins LEW,
Johnson CD, Lomax T, Maddock-James JM, Martoccia
RE, Maybury HG, McIlraith RJ, Phillips OR, Steggles
ME, Thomas OR, Whittles JEK.
Ist XV in Action
Against OEs (left), Malvern (below) and Birkenhead
(below left)
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results
v Old Swinford Hospital L 5 - 45 We then had a little time to train, combinations were
v Denstone College (A) W 10 - 1 forged and techniques were honed and we started to
v Bromsgrove L 41 - 12 look like a decent team. Malvern were the unlucky school
v Malvern W 71 - 12 to meet us in the next game and everything clicked
v Concorde College (H) W 45 - 7 allowing us an impressive win. After this we never looked
v Concorde College (A) W 35 - 5 back. Concord could not match us either home or away
v Denstone College (H) W 53 - 0 and we went into our final game against Denstone
wanting to improve on our early season result. The lads
This season the School decided to run three teams at were fantastic on that day attacking swiftly and defending
senior level plus a protected U16 side. In the past players stoutly to show how far they had come since the
from Year 11 have been part of the senior squads and so beginning of the term.
running a 3rd team was experimental and a challenge. As a coach I could ask for no more than what the boys
We could not have had a tougher start to the season. gave. It was a pleasure to work with them. I would also
With only a couple of training sessions before our like to thank all those parents who supported the team.
opening game and losing a couple of players to the 2nd DJM
team due to injuries in the 1st XV, we welcomed O.S.H
Squad: Allsop DJ, Carr TD (Captain), Cave G, Cooper
traditionally a very good opposition. After a good first half
ZPJ, Crowe N, Cowan D, Cross A, Dapling JR,
we tired towards the end and leaked a number of tries.
Dimitrescu V, Dobie, T, Evans E, Evans JW, Fairbank S,
A following midweek fixture allowed us to get the first Foster J, Fuller MPT, Haukohl N, Hughes HB, Kelly MS,
game out of our system and we returned from Denstone Killick AFS, Johnson K, Johnson S, Jones R, Lomax T,
with a hard fought victory under our belts. We went into Macintosh M, Mapstone WJ, Murges M, Nasybullin D,
the weekend tired and with out a number of key forwards. Ost L, Pescod JRJ, Phillips SA, Prinz I, Roberts OBL,
We were never in with a shout but we made Bromsgrove Schmit L, Spavin B, Steggles ME, Stokes JME, Vergeler
work for their win. M, West N.

91
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results sin-binned, along with a member of the home team.

Despite some resolute tackling by Roberts, Blewitt and
Hunter Johnston, they were unable to prevent the
v Llandovery Lost 12 - 38 offloads as the Home side galloped in for two more
v Old Swinford Hospital Won 40 - 7 touchdowns. When parity was restored both teams
v Bromsgrove Lost 0 - 50 sought to dominate in the final quarter. Abell scored with
v Bishop Heber Won 52 - 14 a fine try as reward for his tireless effort – Dobie
converted; this effort was scant reward for the endeavour
v Wrekin Won 48 - 0
show during the game and as it came between another
v Malvern Won 33 - 7 brace for the home side, it meant a comprehensive
v Church Stretton Won 33 - 22 defeat by 38 points to 12.
v Bishop Veseys Won 24 - 6 There was plenty to work on and training was focused on
v Old Swinford Hospital Lost 10 - 17 developing the strengths in the forwards and providing
v KES Bath Lost 12 - 24 clean ball for the strike runners in the backs. Availability
v Birkenhead Won 29 - 17 and injuries meant a shuffle in the pack for the visit of
Old Swinford Hospital School. Changes in the front row
v Wilmslow Lost 0 - 24 saw Nick Crow and Will Bird rising to the challenges of
Following a week of training that had concentrated on propping and Tom Watkin was a revelation in moving
the rudimentary of lifting in the lineout, the team travelled across one position to hooker. Will Abell was always
to Llandovery in fine fettle. The players clearly still had looking to support and received his rewards after eight
their minds on the bus journey as they conceded scores minutes as he drove over to score, Macintosh
in excess of a point a minute for the first quarter of an demonstrated that he was in good form with the boot as
hour. To their credit Ellesmere rallied and some he converted the try. George Hymes was dynamic in
passionate defending saw them claw their way into the scoring two tries in five minutes, Macintosh converting
game. The forwards were able to generate some quick the first. Ellesmere led 19 - 7 at half time.
balls from a dominant lineout and gained ground through In the second half Jack Brewitt was able to initiate
strong direct running. Todd Dobie made an excellent counter-attacks as he covered from full back and both
break in a very narrow channel and the back row of Abell wingers were given opportunities to test their pace.
and Roberts were quick to support; Roberts scoring a try Three tries were scored and converted, Fashanu
that owed much to quick hands by Abell. grabbing a brace and Macintosh scoring a try to add to
During the second half, Roberts and Morley soared in the his five conversions, scoring 20 points in total.
linouts and good accuracy from Diamond meant that the A home game against Bromsgrove followed and the
teams were evenly matched in possession and territory. visitors immediately showed their intention to run the ball
Midway through the half and an altercation involving at every opportunity. With forwards dominant, they set
Dobie and an Interjection from Hymes saw them both
92

about creating opportunities and had rattled up four tries
by the half time whistle. Ellesmere set about re-
organising at half time and managed to provide a sterner
defence of territory. However, as the rearguard effort
sapped their strength, gaps began to appear as
Bromsgrove added another four tries to match their first
half effort.
There was a quick turnaround before a Tuesday outing
against Bishop Heber. It was heartening to see
individuals raise their game and demonstrate skill and
flair as the opportunities were exploited. Macintosh
scored two tries in the first three minutes to set the tone
for the afternoon. Roberts was able to capitalise on some
sustained phase play as he went through for the third try
and Nick Crow, again holding his own in the front row,
showed the pace of a wing-forward as he charged
through for the fourth score. Macintosh started the
second half as he had done in the first half, scoring a try.
Hymes and Baxter both managed individual tries.
However, defensive frailties were also apparent as the
visitors were allowed to score twice themselves. The
game culminated in another score for Crow as he
capped a great week on the rugby field. Others notable
for their efforts were Cooper and Bird, and Mapstone
worked hard to make things happen. A bad knee injury
to Hunter Johnston spoiled an excellent afternoon.
There was time to rest before the game at Wrekin
College and the team were eager to get back on the field
of play. It was very pleasing to see unselfish play as
players shone in creating scores for team-mates.
Macintosh and Dobie were outstanding in the midfield
and Fashanu was given the space to exploit his pace and
swerve. As captain, Roberts was dynamic in contact and
regularly turned over possession. Smith and Dobie were
also eager to show that their skills were plentiful as they
added scores. Michell capped a fine performance as he
contributed to the bounty. Whilst Fashanu’s hat-trick was
particularly noteworthy, the highlight was a near miss
from Towers who had volunteered to cover as a winger;
he gathered an interception in his own half and sprinted
for all he was worth, only to be hauled down two metres
short of his goal.
Malvern met a stern challenge as Ellesmere completely
dominated from the outset. After Malvern had been
driven back over their own line Hymes was able to pick
and drive from the ensuing scrum and charged over for
the opening score. Fashanu continued his rich scoring
vein and Will Abell added a third moments after the
restart. With Macintosh adding two conversions,
Ellesmere were 19 points to the good after ten minutes.
The visitors rallied and the standard of play degenerated
as Ellesmere started to give away a number of needless
penalties. Half time did little to help the home side regain
their composure, but they did manage to score two good
tries, an excellent solo effort by Jack Smith and a final try
scored by Jack Brewitt. Two conversions by Macintosh
completed the scoring.
The home match against Church Stretton continued the
improving performances. Every player played well
against a team that was very competitive and well drilled.
An excellent break by Hymes released Brewitt to score a
fine try in the corner which Macintosh converted. Smith
scored the second to continue his outstanding form of
late; unfortunately he sustained an injury as he set up yet
another counter attack and was limited to some sterling
defensive work. Abell, having switched from the back row
onto the wing, demonstrated that he has the pace to be
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The Ellesmerian 2010
dangerous from all aspects of play. Baxter was next to
capitalise as he profited from a pass inside and raced
through to touchdown behind the posts. The second half
saw Church Stretton score two well-worked tries. The
game continued with the result meaning a great deal to
both teams and both sides were extremely competitive in
all aspects. It was a good victory.
The side next faced Bishop Vesey’s, having taken over
the 3rd XV fixture from the calendar. Spaven, Mapstone
and Johnson were drafted in and played with distinction.
The Ellesmere scrum was dominant from the outset and
the visitors were trying to play their moves off the back
foot. Baxter moved into the forwards to supplement the
depleted numbers and he was outstanding in all aspects
of play. Spaven had got off his sick bed to play and
enjoyed an armchair ride behind a dominant pack.
Johnson was superb at full back as he calmly dealt with
anything that came his way. Motoccia added his second
try ten minutes into the second half and Owain Roberts
– demonstrating excellent leadership skills as captain -
closed the match with a try that Macintosh converted. It
was an excellent all-round team performance.
A cup competition allowed for a return fixture against Old
Swinford Hospital. A brace from Dixon, moving up from
the U15s, was well-deserved and the result was in the
balance until the final whistle as the visitors held on to
win. An overnight stay in the South-West allowed the
team to challenge KES Bath. This proved to be a tough
match; KES only had one game plan and they executed
it exquisitely. Initially Ellesmere were penalised for any
attempt they made to compete and the home side were
allowed two scores early on in the game. They would
have gone further ahead but for some excellent work by
Baxter. The flankers, Roberts and Bird, were also
prominent in their defence. However, the home scrum
half was beginning to dart under their tackles and this
was a warning sign. Our first score was an excellent try
for Abell who continued his outstanding form, and our
second was an excellent individual try by Angus Cross,
though unfortunately there was time for KES to add to
their first half total.
Birkenhead came and provided a stern test for the team
in very competitive match, which could have gone either
way. The sides were evenly balanced, but Brewitt made
telling contributions to swing the balance of power; he
scored a great try and capped the game with a fine
dropped goal to put the visitors to bed and settle a good
victory. The term was completed with a visit to a sodden
pitch at Wilmslow at the start of December. Ellesmere
never really got out of the blocks against gigantic
opponents. The battle against the elements and
Wilmslow became too onerous as they slipped to a
defeat by 24 points.
A number of players played with distinction and fully
deserved their rewards for the effort they made in
representing the College. Whilst many made significant
individual contributions, it was very pleasing to see
players make sacrifices and play in an array of positions
in order to benefit the side.
DMR
Squad: Abell WGT, Baxter GW, Bird WAS, Brewitt JG,
Cooper GR, Cowan DT, Cross AWJ, Crow G, Diamond
FT, Dobie T, Fashanu OG, Hunter Johnston T, Hymes
GE, Jones RW, Mapstone WJ, Michell RWK, Morley RJ,
Roberts OBL (Captain), Smith J, Spaven B, Towers JA,
Watkin TA.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results Against Bishop Heber, despite the score-line, we

performed poorly. The scene was set from the kick-off
where we allowed the ball to land amongst the pack,
v Bedstone Won 51 - 7 nobody called for it, and it bounced into touch. From the
v Old Swinford Hospital Won 51 - 12 lineout that followed we let the ball go loose and they
v Bishop Heber Won 31 - 12 drove us back. Apart from breakaways from Colin
v Bromsgrove Lost 14 - 37 Dickson in the centre, leading to our two scores of the
first half, we spent our time defending our line. It was only
v The Marches (Daily Mail Cup R2) Won 53 - 0 the inability of the opposition to pass effectively and a
v Malvern College Won 24 - 15 couple of last-ditch tackles from Sam Owen at open side
v The Corbet School (DMC R3) Won 56 - 0 that enabled us to restrict their scoring.
v Bishop Vesey GS Won 24 - 19 With just ten minutes to go against Bromsgrove the score
v Stafford GS Won 45 - 7 was 14 - 22, and although we had been under extreme
v St Joseph’s College (DMC R4) Won 22 - 7 pressure for most of the match we were defending
stoutly and making the odd foray into Bromsgrove
v Denstone College Won 34 - 12 territory. However the sheer weight and power of the
v Old Swinford Hospital (DMC R5) Lost 12 - 13 opposition pack wore us down and the last ten minutes
v Bramhall Won 24 - 14 saw us surrender too much possession, the opposition
taking full advantage and running in three unanswered
v Wilmslow High School Lost 3 - 33 tries.
In our Round 2 match in the Daily Mail Cup against The
Despite a lack of preparation time the side gave a good Marches, the game presented the opportunity to see a
account of themselves against Bedstone, approaching range of players, some from the U14s, in a competitive
the match with great enthusiasm and playing with a real setting. The opposition were enthusiastic but lacked the
sense of purpose. Apart from the most unfortunate injury cohesion of the Ellesmere team. Powerful running soon
to our winger it was a good start to the season. They had set the scoreboard in motion and so some of the
another great result against Old Swinford Hospital. Both stronger players were rested. We ran the ball quite well
teams were missing some key players but the backs on a very narrow pitch and scored at regular intervals.
moved the ball and set up their moves well to give the
centre and fullback the space to get going. The forwards The Away fixture against Malvern was a tough match
out-scrummaged a bigger pack and provided maul ball against a team that had beaten us heavily as U14s last
for Louis Chaudron at number eight to make some year. We began very well, scoring a try in the first minute
breaks. We allowed the opposition to make ground in the through Colin Dickson; a wonderful solo effort from our
forwards and some first-up tackles went missing – 22 metre line saw him break through to run around
weaknesses that we struggled to overcome all season. several players before scoring under the posts. The

94

pattern of the match was set as we attempted to move
the ball whilst the opposition kicked for position. Good
play from James Preston at fullback and some solid
defence, particularly from the back-row of Sam, Louis
and Ed Morris, kept them at bay when it mattered and
although they scored three tries Colin scored four!
In the Daily Mail Cup Round 3 against The Corbet School
the match began with the opposition showing little
respect for reputation and running at us repeatedly. They
supported well but our tackling was mostly sound and
they made little progress. Once we had settled down to
produce regular possession we were able to dominate in
every department.
Our next match, against Bishop Vesey Grammar School,
was described by those on the sidelines as ‘a heck of a
game of rugby’. This was without doubt the performance
of the season so far. Vesey’s were unbeaten this session
and had run in big scores against some notable schools.
They started confidently running strongly and easily
driving us off the loose ball – it seemed that, rather like
the Bromsgrove game, we would be ‘bullied’ in the
forwards and would fail to secure sufficient possession.
However, as in the Bromsgrove match, we startled the
opposition by taking the lead with some direct running
and so found ourselves 12 - 0 up. It was testimony to the
strength of the Vesey’s team that they came roaring back
at us, their big forwards charging in and providing good
ball for their back line. We missed a tackle or two and
before we knew it the score was all square at half time.
An attack from deep in our own half saw the centre go
under the posts and we were back in the lead. We were
now put under a period of sustained pressure. There
were several try-saving tackles before they scored in the
corner. A superb conversion levelled the scores again.
Still we found ourselves “under the cosh” and on more
than one occasion they seemed destined to score only
for the cover to haul them down at the last gasp. A draw
would probably have been a fair result but with only a
couple of minutes remaining we collected a loose ball
just outside our ‘22’ and the centre set off up field. He
was well tackled just short of half way but slipped the ball
to the supporting Sam Owen who demonstrated
tremendous pace to outdistance one defender after
another before scoring wide out. There was only time
remaining for the kick-off before the final whistle blew. A
tremendous performance by all.
Whilst it was pleasing to turn around last year’s result
against Stafford Grammar School this was a
disappointing performance. Too often we gave the ball
away in contact; our passing was poor and frequently
took momentum out of the attack. In the ruck we failed to
clear out beyond the ball so giving only slow possession.
Sadly we could not replicate the quality of our previous
game.
In Round 4 of the Daily Mail Cup we met St Joseph’s
College. This was a pleasing win to take us into the last
64 of the National Knockout. Against a much larger pack
we started slowly and they rumbled towards our line
before moving the ball to their wing who scored in the
corner. A super conversion added the two points.
However, we were now galvanised into action and began
to win some ball. Strong running by Colin from broken
play saw him under the posts, and just before half time a
switch move put the same player through at pace as no
hand was laid on him as he again crossed under the
posts. In the second half one or two decent kicks,
followed by a chase, allowed us to score twice more and
make the game safe.
95
The Ellesmerian 2010
In difficult conditions against Denstone College we
struggled to hold onto the ball and our errors allowed
Denstone to stay in the game for longer than they
deserved. Early in the match, having lost the ball over the
line, a series of mistakes saw the opposition score at the
other end of the pitch to draw level. Against some large
boys the front row scrummaged and rucked well and we
enjoyed a reasonable amount of possession. James at
fullback coped well with the opposition kicking game and,
taking advantage of some weak tackling, we turned
around 17 – 7 to the good. The second half was spent
mostly at the Denstone end of the pitch and we scored
another three tries.
The fifth round of the Daily Mail Cup saw us back at Old
Swinford Hospital. Swinford only scored one more point
than they did when we trounced them earlier in the
season. This speaks well of our defence since they had
several key attacking players back in their team who had
been missing first time around. The fact was that we did
not score enough. There were two main reasons for that.
Firstly they controlled the field position due to good work
in their lineout and the play of their excellent flyhalf.
Secondly they had tightened up their defence
considerably. Our outside centre was a marked man
(despite which he still scored two tries!) and we were not
able to make the decisions to attack wider out using him
as the dummy runner. Even so we came back from 0 -
10 down to lead 12 - 10 with only three minutes to play.
We were extremely unfortunate that the opposition were
awarded a penalty in front of our posts and so pinched
the game at the death.
Our final outing saw us playing Bramhall and Wilmslow
High School. This ‘double header’ was an interesting
concept but might perhaps be better suited to an early
season preparation. In the first match against Bramhall
we started well but after taking the lead conceded two
tries due to defensive lapses, so turning around 5 - 14
down. The second fifteen-minute half saw us back to
something like our best with three unanswered tries,
including one straight from a kick-off involving a
blindside run from the number eight, a quick ruck and
fast hands to move the ball away, made the game safe.
Against Wilmslow we struggled from the start. The
opposition were a strong side with a good back line who
ran strongly, particularly in broken play. We were missing
our normal fullback and our lack of pace at the back was
exposed. Whilst a penalty from Dominic Simpson kept us
in touch at half time we had no answer in the second
period when, assisted by some feeble tackling, the
opposition ran-in three scores.
Taken as a whole the season was tremendously
successful with seventy five tries scored, Colin Dickson
amassing 32 of them; making progress to the last sixty
four of the National Knock Out and reversing nearly
every loss of last year as U14s. Everyone worked hard
and enjoyed themselves, and our best performances
were team performances.
MDTS
The following made six or more appearances on the
team sheet:
Bostock-Williams LW, Carrington-Sykes CQ, Chaudron
LB, Chewins S, Dapling SG, Dewhirst MR, Dickson C,
Faulkner MJ, Hughes B, Jones DP, Latter JE,
McNamara KPA, Morris EE, Owen SL (Captain),
Pescod JJR, Preston JEA, Simpson DW, Smethurst JR,
Taylor LG, Sesay KA, Walker J.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Summary of Results
v Old Swinford Hospital W 50 - 7
v Denstone College L 7 - 37
v Bromsgrove L 0 - 47
v Malvern L 19 - 46
v Bishop Vesey’s L 0 - 50
v Bedstone L 0 - 58
v Denstone College L 0 - 27
Despite the fact that the season’s statistics make grim
reading, this year’s U15Bs made some good progress
with their individual and unit skills. Many of the thirty-two
who represented the team appeared for the highly
successful A side, when needed, in a term that was
blighted by a high number of injuries in the peer group.
Indeed a number made the jump without ever returning.
The fact that this did not disturb the success of the senior
side bears witness to the fact that the skills of the B XV
were never the problem, but rather the general lack of
stature and bulk. One opposition coach observed that
Ellesmere had played all the rugby, but still lost the
match. It was never possible to be sure of tactics and
moves until the personnel of the team was known, which
was usually on the morning of a match.
Through it all the side maintained its pattern of playing a
quick rucking game up front with the aim of releasing our
swift threequarters. The bulk of opposition tries came
through scores by big forwards, and despite the fact that
we had many brave tacklers, the lack of mass behind the
96
hits would not guarantee a second phase that led to
Ellesmere possession. It was frequently the case that
Ellesmere played the more attractive rugby, when we had
the ball - a promising sign for the future as the year group
matures - but we could not achieve the total domination
of possession that would have led to greater success in
terms of results. We frequently had long periods in
which we recycled the ball well and kept manoeuvring
and battering our way into scoring positions, but again
lack of mass would leave us unable to convert this
expenditure of energy and ability at ball retention into
actual points.
Four boys skippered the side at different times during the
season, all of whom were as likely to be playing for the A
XV as not, but Mitchell Faulkener filled the position most
often. They all showed tactical awareness and an ability
to mine the great team spirit of the squad in adversity,
which meant that the season was both constructive and
enjoyable. As one opponent obseved with some humour,
“Fair play lads, you’re the smallest side we’ve played this
year!”
GH
Squad: Allsop L, Belcher R, Bostock-Williams L,
Bothwell R, Butt A, Chewins S, Cole H, Dapling S,
Davies J, Eaton A, Faulkner M (Captain), Fernandez
–Menedez J, Fletcher J, Fradley G, Fraser-Smith M,
Frentzen G, Haigh J, Hampton J F, Hannes J, Johnson M,
Johnson W, Latter J, Lopez J, McCarthy A, McBrien
M, McIlraith S, Parry-Jones L, Pescod J, Rogan E, Sesay
K, Smethhurst J, Whitehead D.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results great skill for so early on in the season. Tom and Ted
Parker proved to be quite a handful for the opposition
both on attack and defence and George Beal put in some
v Llandovery Won 44 - 7
massive hits which helped keep Llandovery at bay.
v Old Swinford Hospital Lost 10 - 7 Through some direct running and determination we
scored some great tries. Every single player made a
v Bishop Heber Won 54 - 7
contribution and this was a great way to start the season.
v Bromsgrove Won 48 - 7
Our next game was against a very strong Old Swinford
v Malvern Won 47 - 0 Hospital team. We were on the back foot from the kick-
v Bishop Vesey’s Won 41 - 3 off with their large loose forwards taking us on. Only
good defence work prevented them from scoring and
v Stafford Grammar Won 55 - 5 through great determination we played ourselves back
v Denstone College Won 24 - 7 into their half. A good drive up field was finally finished off
by Tom Parker who crossed over for a good try. Joe
v Bramhall Won 42 - 0 Rogers converted. The rest of the first half was keenly
v Wilmslow Won 15 - 0 contested with possession continuously changing.
Ellesmere played up the hill in the second half and both
This proved to be a very successful season. The team teams produced some fantastic rugby. Old Swinford
produced some excellent rugby and scored some managed to score two good tries through a few missed
memorable tries. The forwards and back line combined tackles, but missed both conversions. With five minutes
well and always kept the opposition on their toes. The remaining and trailing by three points Ellesmere tried
best game of the season was, strangely enough, the only their hardest but were unable to score again. A
game that we lost. Old Swinford Hospital proved to be a tremendous game from both sides and a fantastic rugby
very big and physical team that brought out the best of match to watch. After the loss we needed a bit of a
us. Other games where we produced some good rugby boost where we were able to practice our set pieces.
were against Bromsgrove and Denstone where we were Bishop Heber was, unfortunately, not as strong as we
truly tested. Although we were unable to field our best XV expected and we had to make some changes at half time
once during the season, the depth at U14 this season after we scored six tries in the first half. We still
was unbelievable – at one stage we had six players dominated the second half.
injured, but were still able to put out a strong team. Bromsgrove was always going to be a hard game and
Our first game of the season was against Llandovery, the way in which we approached this game helped us
and with quite a few new pupils in the team it was difficult produce some fantastic rugby. Bromsgrove applied the
to predict what was going to happen. After only two early pressure, but we defended very well and were able
minutes, though, Joe Rogers scored one of his six tries. to turn the ball over at a ruck. This resulted in Joe Rogers
Ellesmere maintained their momentum and showed putting in a good run on the right wing to score the first
97
 The Ellesmerian 2010
of his three excellent tries. The way in which the forwards
and backs combined created huge pressure on
Bromsgrove and we were able to score a few more great
tries before half time. Although they had a much larger
pack, our forwards out-scrummed them which ensured
that our backs got the ball on the front foot. At the
changeover, we went into defence mode slightly and took
our foot off the pedal. Although we ended up defending
more than we liked, our back line put their backs under
pressure and once again were able to create turnover
ball, with Tom Parker scoring the first of his two tries.
James Slater also had a great game on his debut for the
under 14A team and combined well with the Parker twins
to form a formidable loose trio.
After a long bus journey we eventually arrived to face a
motivated Malvern U14 team. They were soon to realise
just how good we were with Josh Bendal scoring a try on
debut. Once again the forwards and backs combined
well and produced some good rugby, putting them under
pressure. Oli Locke played his best game of the season.
Joe Rogers once again made the scoreboard.
Despite missing six players due to injury we were able to
put out a very good team against Bishop Vesey’s. We
started the game off on a great note scoring a try in the
first minute. Although we scored four more tries in the
first half, we allowed the game to get a bit scrappy and
conceded numerous turnovers at the breakdown.
George Beal had his best game of the season and put in
some big hits and carried the ball well. Joe Rogers
scored another two tries and Jack Wear also crossed the
line twice. After the break, we went into defensive mode
and only scored two tries. Our motivation and discipline
was not good from the outset and we let ourselves down
and could easily have scored three or four further tries.
Stafford Grammar was unfortunately very weak and the
game was a mismatch from the beginning with them
arriving with only twelve players. After giving them a
player to use, we then agreed on a 13-a-side game. We
scored a try within the first minute and it soon became
evident that this was going to be a very one-sided game.
With us rotating players on a regular basis we tried to
play a Sevens sort of game. The game had to
unfortunately, be blown short.
Continuous rain meant us playing on a very wet field
against Denstone which made ball handling very difficult.
They arrived with a very big pack and made life difficult
for us, attacking our try line for five minutes. Good
defence forced one of their players to drop the ball over
our try line, resulting in a scrum. Excellent ball handling
helped us take the ball into their half and finally get it out
wide to Ali Miller on the wing, who dived over to score an
excellent try. Going into the second half with a 19 - 0
lead, we should have put more points on the board, but
spent most of the half defending and making more and
more unforced errors. Denstone applied great pressure
and were rewarded with a good try which was converted.
Missed tackles started creeping in and only sheer guts
and determination kept them away from our try line. Ali
Miller scored a second try just before the end to secure
a hard-fought win for us.
The game against Birkenhead was unfortunately
cancelled due to bad weather. We set off for Wilmslow
without four regular players to take play two games on
the same day. Our first was against a rather weak
Bramhall team. We scored some good tries and tackled
98
very well. After scoring five tries in the first half, we
decided to play some Sevens rugby by throwing the ball
around and trying a few different things. Although we did
not score many tries in the second half we played some
good rugby and kept the ball moving. The final game of
the season was against a big team from Wilmslow. This
proved to be a hard game and our defence was really
tested. We should have scored a few more tries, but
made careless mistakes. We did manage to score three
unconverted tries to run out winners. A good end to a
good season. Well done to all the players.
James Austin, Paul Scull and Noah Appleby proved to be
an awesome front row and did not get pushed back in
one scrum the whole season. They all learnt during the
season to carry the ball well and their general skills
improved fantastically well throughout the season. Peter
von Hoven was an excellent cover at hooker when we
picked up a few injuries during the season and has
proved what an awesome hooker/blindside flank he is –
if only he would grow a little more. The second row of
Nelson Hughes and Jonny Charmley were also very
good and were able to use their size and strength well.
The normal loose trio of Harry Whitehouse, Tom Parker
and Ted Parker were awesome during the season. The
interplay between the Parker twins was fantastic to
watch. As mentioned, Peter von Hoven also played flank
during the season as did James Slater who, when he
puts his mind to it, can produce some excellent rugby.
George Crow was scrumhalf, along with Harry
Whitehouse when George was injured, and both of them
showed good skill from the base of the scrum and
constantly worked on their passing. Oli Lock was our
flyhalf and played some great games, but must learn to
believe in himself and work on his tackling as this was
his main weakness. George Beal at 12 was awesome –
big, strong and physical. His only area to work on is his
speed work which will help him once he gets through a
few tackles. Ali Miller and Joe Rogers filled the outside
centre birth and both possessed loads of speed and
good defence. One area to work on is once they receive
the ball, it is immediately tucked under one arm which
does not help when having to make a pass. Joe was our
top try scorer and by far the highest points scorer in the
team – scored some brilliant tries during the season.
Both also played on the wing during the season. The
other wing was Jack Wear who scored some good tries
for the B team early on. This was noticed and he was
promoted to the A team. He continued to score tries for
us and improved tremendously. Lewis Suckling and
Henry Collard-Underwood were our fullbacks during the
season – Lewis unfortunately was injured most of the
season, so we were unable to see him at his best –
neither at 10 or 15. Henry played well during the season
and remained positive, even when dropped to the B team
for a while.
Well done this year guys and all the very best for the
future. A big thank you to all parents for the fantastic
support during the season – it was greatly appreciated
by your sons and myself.
CCC
Regular Players: Appleby NA, Austin JH, Beal GW,
Charmley JC, Collard-Underwood HC, Crow G, von
Hoven PJ, Hughes NB, Lock OR, Miller AJ, Parker EM
(Captain), Parker TH, Rogers JSJW, Scull PM, Slater
JAS, Suckling LA, Wear JJ, Whitehouse HA.

Summary of Results
v Old Swinford Hospital W 54 - 5
v Denstone L 23 - 19
v Bromsgrove L 29 - 14
v Wrekin W 31 - 17
v Malvern D 25 - 25
The U14B team, coached by Mr Macintosh and Mr
Crawford, was a talented and feisty team who won their
first match of the season by a considerable margin, with
Jack Wear starting as he meant to go on, scoring the first
try for the team, who went on to put seven more past the
Old Swinford defence. Under Captain Jake Rogan the
team acquitted themselves well in their fixtures and were
strongly supported by many Ellesmere parents. The
huge squad was very helpful, at least until it came to
selection dilemmas, and the bench available for every
game was at least four strong. It was felt important that
all who turned up were involved in the game, even though
this meant changing the team around quite a bit.
Injuries to the U14A team meant that we lost players on
occasion, with Jack Wear called up permanently to the
As very early on. However, the team was not
discouraged by this, and gave some great performances
in the next couple of matches. Further injuries gave more
B team players the chance to be promoted and they
proudly stepped up to the mark when asked; Josh
Bendel, the aggressive yet speedy winger, was snatched
away as well as John Leadbeater the try-saving tackling
machine.
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The Ellesmerian 2010
There was little disgrace in the losses away at Denstone
and against a customarily strong Bromsgrove team, and
the manner with which they took the fight to such august
opposition was heartening. A hard-fought win against
Wrekin College proved to be the team’s finest hour; it is
fair at this stage to acknowledge the reliable goal kicking
of Ioan Parry-Jones, whose sure aim led to a steady
stream of conversions through the season, and whose
tumbling, gyrating crossbar-pounding drop goal against
Wrekin capped a dominant performance by the
Ellesmere forwards.
A long trip to Malvern showed the team at their most
resilient; after a punishing first half the team righted
themselves to finish with a draw. The result was well
deserved, not least because our own injury problems
had led to call-ups for players from the Development
Squad.
This was a talented U14B team, but what they must do
to improve is to make the most of their training sessions.
Not enough skills were enhanced through the season
due to complacency and immaturity. It is hoped that next
season they manage to go unbeaten, and this will only
happen with greater responsibility for their own
performance, both on the field and in training.
DWC, RJM and Jake Rogan
Squad: Austin JA, Benardete A, Bendel JM, Beswick
CJ, Bland H, Bridge EM, Clarke RC, Clewlow RC,
Cooksey JM, Derosa DER, Dhansangani MJ, Edge-
Roberts HRJ, Hayes JWP, Hoffman MJC, von Hoven PJ,
Jones GR, Killick SRC, Leadbetter JC, Leung CK-Y,
Nelhans PA, Nolan RC, Parry-Jones I, Rickett HS, Rogan
JH, Slater JAS, Smith AE, Wear JJ, Williams BT,
Whittaker JR, Ziegenhain LV.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results much the first time in the match for Carmen Edwards to
score in the corner. This was the last action of the match.
v Llandovery L 19 - 5 The second match of the term was against Old Swinford
v Old Swinford W 10 - 12 Hospital. We seemed to be still on the bus as Old
v Bishop Heber W 67 - 0 Swinford ran in a fairly easy try from a simple mistake
v Liverpool College L 5 - 17 between our 10 and 12. After this we started to play a bit
of rugby, recognising the threat of their quick wingers
v Bishop Vesey’s L 36 - 0 and keeping the ball away from them. This clever play
v Stafford Grammar L 7 - 17 started to pay dividends and we were camped on their
v Denstone College L 12 - 13 22. After three number eight pick-up-and-goes we opted
v Birkenhead W 17 - 10 on the fourth scrum to pass it out wide, the opposition did
not get up quickly enough, and we were able to get the
v Bramhall L 7- 5 ball to Carmen Edwards who scored the try. In the
v Wilmslow W 5 - 12 second half we started much more strongly and from our
kick-off we gained a lucky bounce and were able to carry
Our first game of the term took us to Llandovery College. the ball up to the opposition 22m line. From here we
We started well and competed at the breakdown, but it shipped the ball out to Will Doerr, who ran in under the
soon became evident that Llandovery had a well-drilled posts for our second try of the game. After this the game
back row that were spoiling the break-down and also became much closer with both teams competing well at
giving Will Doerr problems at fly-half, which limited the the break-down and attempting to play a bit of running
amount of ball we could get out to our wingers, Joel rugby. Although they scored to make it 10-12 we held on
Lyttle and James Wilson. This frustrated us a bit and we for the win.
gave away a penalty in our 22, from which they scored. Our third match of the term was a mid-week fixture
The half continued in much the same fashion, where we against Bishop Heber. We began strongly, attacking from
just hung in there and defended well. But we gave away the kick-off and never taking our foot off the gas in the
another penalty in our 22 area and again they scored. first half, running in seven tries. Our tries came from
The second half was much closer, and at times we were Harry Williams, Will Doerr, Joel Lyttle, Armani Roberts,
a bit unlucky with some of the referee’s decisions. We Carmen Edwards, James Watson and Ben Wynne. In the
rucked much better in this half; special mention should second half we scored an early try, Harry Williams
go to our back row three of JJ Broburg, Ben Wynne and completing his hat-trick. After this as it was now 50-0 we
Harry Williams, and also to our hooker George Watkin first checked that the opposition wanted to carry on, and
who played magnificently to provide ball for the backs. then took off some players to give others an opportunity
Unfortunatey we conceded a third try. After this we to play. Further tries were scored by Harry Byrne, Matt
worked the ball up to their 22 and from quick ball Kinney, and JJ Broberg, who had worked hard in the
managed to get the ball through the hands for pretty back row and deserved his try.

100

The fourth match was against Liverpool College. We
began well and looked to take the game to them from the
start. However, we were up against a good forward unit,
with bigger and at times faster boys who were turning us
over in the ruck situation, and were 7- 0 down after only
five minutes. We then tried to play ball in hand but too
many times we opted to take the ball into contact and
thus played into the opposition’s hands. During the
second half we again tried to play the ball through the
hands. This saw us camped on their 22 line and score
out wide through Carmen Edwards. After this the
opposition came back at us and again we got sucked into
their game plan by taking it into contact instead of trying
to pass through the hands. However, if we had been a bit
more accurate with our passing we could have scored
again, unfortunately it was not to be and right at the end
they scored again.
We were always going to find the Bishop Vesey’s match
tough as we had lost very heavily to them last year. We
didn’t start brilliantly. They secured the ball from a kick-
off and two minutes later scored. They poured attack
after attack against us. We were given a penalty against
us on our five metre line and they used their big players
up front to power through and score again. Three
minutes later they scored again. We can argue that their
fourth was not a try as they appeared to step into touch
and there was a hint of a knock-on. However, we cannot
use this as an excuse as we did not play well in the first
half. In the second half we played much better and were
unlucky to concede the fifth try as again they appeared
to put a foot into touch before scoring. We played with
much more heart and passion and did not commit as
many mistakes. As the half drew on we started to sustain
some injuries and as we had no substitutes at times we
were given a player by them. The opposition scored once
more, right at the end; not our best game.
At home against Stafford Grammar School we kicked off
after losing the toss and were attacking downfield. We
were passing the ball out and using the width of the pitch
to attack, but finding the last pass was not going to hand
or we were knocking the ball on. This lack of accuracy in
our passing meant we were not converting possession
into points until Carmen Edwards scored just before half
time. The second half was a different story. The
opposition were now playing down the field and came out
with a much more positive attitude. They were quicker
than us at the breakdown and seemed to want the game
more than us. They eventually scored but missed the
conversion, so we were still in the lead. At this point it
was a pretty even game but as the half wore on we
became lazy and gave away a few penalties. The
opposition exploited this and scored two more tries. This
was again a disappointing result and a match we could
have won.
Against Denstone College we started very poorly.
Denstone’s fullback managed to run through half of our
team and score under the posts. We were guilty of
several missed tackles and had no excuses! After this we
finally woke up and started to compete. Good rucking
made us competitive up front and our scrum was
excellent throughout the whole match. We were unlucky
not to score in the first half but some excellent defending
prevented any further scores. However, we did concede
a penalty in front of the posts, which the opposition
chose to kick and converted. The second half saw us
play with the wind, so a couple of times we tried to play
101
The Ellesmerian 2010
into the corner to put their back three under pressure.
This did not always work, as they had a good fullback
who ran a lot of ball back to us. We decided to change
our tactics and play ball through the hands, enabling Will
Doerr to power over for a try. After this we played some
good rugby and the next score could have gone either
way. Unfortunately for us the opposition were given a
penalty on our 22m line and took a quick tap and shipped
the ball out to the fullback who saw gaping holes in our
back line and scored again. We also scored again
through a JJ Broberg try, but finished just one point off.
We didn’t begin well against Birkenhead. The first few
minutes were very nervy but after this we began to calm
down and play a bit of rugby. We dominated the scrum
and this allowed our backs to pass the ball around. The
half saw us play downhill and we ended up camped in
their half - we should have come away with a couple of
scores but for final passes going forward. Eventually
though our pressure began to tell and James Watson
took a quick tap and ran through some tackles to score.
In the second half we worked the ball up into their 22
where we eventually scored through JJ Broberg, who
powered over from close range. After this it became an
entertaining half of rugby with both teams playing well.
They scored through a scrum on the 5m line, but we were
not done and scored through Joel Lyttle. They scored
again, which led to a nervy last five minutes which we
managed to wind down by holding the ball up in their half,
before eventually kicking the ball out once we knew that
time was up.
Our ninth match of the term was the first in a triangular
fixture with Wilmslow and Bramhall School. We began
positively and competed well. However, we were stopped
from playing a quick game as the referee slowed
everything down. The conditions were also poor. We
spent large amounts of the first half camped on their try
line and eventually came away with a Jamie Thomas try.
The conditions underfoot worsened in the second half.
We gave away a soft try in the end and they scored the
conversion. After this the rugby was disrupted by poor
conditions and the referee slowing down proceedings.
We appeared to have scored again but the referee did
not give it and later on in the half we lost a player due to
a late-off-the ball incident, which the referee missed.
This put a dampener on the game and we ended up
losing.
The second match of our triangular fixture was against
the host school, Wilmslow. Again we began very
positively and dominated much of the half, retaining
possession, and this forward domination eventually saw
Ben Wynne cross over for the try. Armani Roberts scored
another by breaking through several tackles down the
wing to power his way over the try-line. The second half
was much scrappier and we were guilty of mistakes at
times. They scored a soft try. After this we tried to play a
bit but were often stripped of the ball in contact and gave
away possession too easily. However, we held on in tricky
conditions for the win.
ILR
Squad: Broberg JJ, Byrne HN, Byrne TE, Doerr WK,
Edwards CC, Houlder FAR, Lyttle JA, McCarthy SHG,
Roberts CA, Sloan TWJ, Thomas JS (Captain), Watkin
GP, Watson JP, Williams HC, Williamson BD, Wilson JD,
Wynne BJ.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results improved performance and there were signs that we

were heading in the right direction. Stafford Grammar
v Bedstone (U13A) Lost 0 - 51 were raw and weak, but this game gave the opportunity
v Old Swinford Hospital Lost 5 - 22 to put what we had been practising to the test and we
v Liverpool College (U12A) Lost 5 - 19 achieved a morale boosting win.
v Bishop Vesey’s Lost 0 - 10 A hard-fought win against Denstone, when we had
v Stafford Grammar (U12A) Won 54 - 0 virtually all the ball, turned out to be a relief as we had to
v Denstone College (U12A) Won 5-0 rely on a late ‘rumble’ from the forwards to get the all-
important score. The Kingsland Grange game was
v Kingsland Grange (U13A) Lost 10 - 24
somewhat frustrating as we had the early play and were
v Wilmslow (U12A) Lost 0 - 19 looking good until we conceded a soft score and heads
v Bramhall (U12A) Won 15 - 10 went down, allowing the opposition to get away from us
v Packwood Haugh Lost 5 - 17 before we hit back late on. A triangular with Wilmslow
and Bramhall was a new innovation and gave us two final
This was a difficult season; with little experience from last games at home, the overriding memory of which was
year, some new, raw players and a distinct lack of size Angelo Daniel’s two tries - what a pity his pace had been
and pace we were always going to be up against it. unavailable for so much of the season. We finished with
Having said this we did improve as the season a rousing encounter at Packwood, which was a great
progressed and by the end we managed to play with competitive game, showing that we had come a huge
greater cohesion and understanding of the game, which distance in thirteen weeks.
after all at this level is one of the main aims. The first
game against a huge Bedstone side was a baptism of My thanks to Mr Morgan for his help with coaching, Jo
fire for some players who perhaps found themselves out Hughes for leading the side and the parents who came
of their depth. A hot day at Old Swinford followed despite to support.
swine ‘flu, though this did mean that with the opposition WJH
short, five of their A team had to play for the Bs! The
nadir of our season followed against Liverpool College - Squad: Appleby JJ, Austin AH, Batson TWR, Daniel
against a weak side we allowed them to dictate the level AIET, Dutton GJ, Fashanu W, Hughes JW (Captain),
of play and we were simply too greedy and upright. Hymes HR, Jeffs TW, Lay RJ, Lever WEG, McCormack
GA, O’Brien PJ, Roberts JA, Shields C, Spencer-Wolfe
Some tough talking and home truths in training followed RM, Squires SJ, Williamson HG.
prior to a traditionally tough game against Bishop
Vesey’s. Whilst we went down again, this was a vastly
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Summary of Results
v Abbeygate W 50 - 0
v Shrewsbury High School W 57 - 7
v Packwood Haugh L 7 - 14
v Lyndon Prep L 26 - 28
v Prestfelde W 12 - 7
The season started well with a trip away to Abbeygate.
The match had to be changed to an away venue as the
poor weather had affected our pitches. The weather had
caused considerable disruption to our preparation. From
the start we played strong running rugby. The side
showed the ability to move the ball and when not in
possession they placed pressure on the opposition. The
game turned out to be very one-sided with Ellesmere
scoring several tries and keeping a clean sheet.
The second match was played at home against
Shrewsbury High School. They started well, out-rucking
and out-scrimmaging us. However, when the ball was
won back, our good passing and movement showed
again. Strong work in the loose by Marcus Bruce and
Will Rothery allowed Harry Pochin, Nick Bulanada,
Armarni Roberts and Sam Chapman the space to run. It
was pleasing that we were able to play several younger
boys who also did extremely well. We rang the changes
in position throughout the game and lost shape in the
second half, but there were some excellent passages of
play with good interchange of hands and support
running.
Packwood away is always a challenging fixture. We
didn’t start the game well, conceding a try within the first
few minutes. Weaker sides may have buckled at that
point but we showed great determination and endeavour
to pull ourselves back into the game. We evened up the
score and were unfortunate on several occasions not to
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The Ellesmerian 2010
take the lead. Packwood moved the ball well in the
second half and despite our pressing we could not find a
score to tie the game. Particularly pleasing was our
ability to run a second twelve on the same day, giving the
opportunity for more boys to represent the College and
gain some experience in match play. The Bs were very
plucky but could not match the experience of the
Packwood team.
Our next match was away at Lyndon Prep school. We
travelled with a vey depleted team and took on perhaps
the largest U11 team I have ever seen on a very small
pitch which did not allow us to move the ball. We have a
large number of young and inexperienced players but
they all showed great resolve and played their hearts out.
The lead changed hands several times and in the end we
narrowly lost by two points. We deserved at least a draw
from the game but again the experience gained by the
younger players will be very valuable.
Our last match was at home to Prestfelde. It proved to
be a very tough and robust match with both teams
desperate for the win. The game didn’t really flow but
again showed our great determination and strong
defence. In the tightest of finishes we edged a win to
finish the season on a high.
Many thanks must go to all the parents who supported so
enthusiastically throughout the term. I am really looking
forward to seeing the young players develop their rugby
at the College in future years.
ILW
Squad: Bulanda NE, Bulanda NJ, Chapman SJ,
Crossman AL, Edwards W, Fashanu JO, Faulkner RM,
Hill TP, Houlder AKC, Lloyd GF, Maclean CJ, Murtagh
EM, Pochin HJ, Pochin JW, Roberts CA (Captain),
Rothery WHJ.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

North of England Sevens Tournament Fylde U18 Sevens Tournament

Group Matches
v 5 Barnard Castle L 5 - 32
v King Henry VIII W 41 - 5
v 29 Merchant Taylors W 29 - 12
v 61 Rossall W 61 - 0
Plate Competition
v Lymm L 31 - 12
A tough opening match against a good outfit left us with
a lot to do in the group, but we picked things up in the rest
of the group stages with a very good win against
Merchant Taylors when we put pressure on the
opposition and used our ball well. We then went through
to face Lymm who had narrowly missed out winning their
group and were well organised. As in the opener we
made basic mistakes, coughing the ball up when put
under pressure and yet on occasions played some very
good sevens.
This very much had the feel of a rusty opening
tournament and there were some positive points to some
of our play. There was a fair gap however between
Ellesmere and the better teams in the tournament, part
of which was due to confidence on the ball.
Group Matches
v Kirkham W 35 - 14
v St David’s W 50 - 5
v Pocklington W 34 - 7
v Rishworth W 47 - 21
v St Bede’s W 48 - 0
Quarter-Final
v Filton L 5 - 14
Facing last year’s champions was a daunting prospect,
but this proved to be a fantastic confidence-boosting
performance. We tackled hard and did not let them play
sevens and then whenever we had the ball we moved it
quickly and threatened out wide. We suddenly looked
confident and quick and, importantly, well-organised. We
gradually made our way through the rest of the group
with all members of the squad joining in the party and
scoring freely. The bonus of having a strong squad
ensured players were rested and we continued to look
sharp.
We played our final group game against St Bede’s on
Sunday morning and then had to wait until Sunday mid -
afternoon to play in the quarter-final. Filton and
Ivybridge, the two Academy Colleges, were the teams
everyone was talking about so we knew it was to be a
tough one. While Filton played a physical game we
moved the ball smartly, eventually surprising them with
an unexpected dart from Lloyd Hayes to go 5 – 0 up. We
had them under pressure on their 5 metre line only to
allow them, from a tapped penalty, to run the length. We
then put them under pressure but lost our lineout five
metres from their line (unchallenged!). They broke and a

104

fantastic sequence of tackles and recycling led to them
scoring on the wing some five or six phases later. The
rest of the match was all Ellesmere – history repeated
itself from Rosslyn when we crossed the line and, trying
to go under the post, didn’t get the ball down, then only
a minute later failing to ground the ball in the corner,
again having crossed the line.
Although it was a disappointing end after all their effort it
was a confidence-boosting tournament where we played
great sevens all weekend. Forty-five teams started the
competition and we finished in the top eight, feeling that
we still could have gone further.
King’s Worcester Sevens Tournament
Group Matches
v Solihull Sixth Form College W 48 - 14
v Bromsgrove W 24 - 12
v Loughborough W 26 - 14
Quarter-Final
v Cheltenham W 28 - 12
Semi-Final
v Sir Thomas Rich W 24 - 14
Final
v Old Swinford Hospital W 24 - 19
At last winners of the King’s Worcester Sevens
Tournament! Ellesmere 1st Seven put together a
magnificent run of matches to take the title. In the group
rounds the most difficult game was against Bromsgrove,
who played a physical kick-and-rush brand of Sevens
that was very effective. The quarter-final was a
comfortable win against Cheltenham and we played very
effectively, scoring some excellent tries by moving the
ball wide. The semi-final was a close shave after we had
looked comfortable, moving to 14 - 0 up after two
excellent attacking kick-offs that gave us soft scores.
This was just as well as the opposition recovered to
narrow it to 19 - 14 and were pushing us hard. A superb
tackle by Will Goodwin brought down their strike runner
and was followed by further tackles that led to a turnover
and we ran away to finish the match off.
The final was an epic encounter against old
rivals Old Swinford. We started well with a
superbly taken try from Lloyd Hayes - who
incidentally played every minute of the
competition, leading by example
throughout. We moved to 14 - 0 after
playing excellent sevens. We put Iwan
Phillips one-on-one against the full back
whom he danced around to score under
the posts. Just before half time it looked as
though we might score again as a move
that started from behind our own line swept
down the field. Unfortunately when looking
for support there was an interception from
the last pass that resulted in Old Swinford
scoring.
Half Time: 14 - 7
We turned round and were put under
immense pressure, and although we never
missed a tackle we let Swinford get around
us for two tries. With two minutes to go it
was time to stand up and be counted; we
were 19 - 14 down. A great break from
George Baxter and an offload in the tackle
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The Ellesmerian 2010
saw the fresh legs of Andy Coubrough score wide out.
We regained possession and with the last play of the
game we were given a penalty which we ran from the half
way line. The ball moved out to the wing where for a
second time Iwan Phillips danced round his opposite
man and sprinted off up field. The sweeper came across
to cover and a great pass inside saw Andy Coubrough go
in under the posts; followed by the kick; followed by the
final whistle.
A magnificent match that went right down to the wire.
The Ellesmere boys wanted it - well done to them!
Rosslyn Park Sevens
v King’s Taunton W 22 - 5
v Pangbourne L 12 - 33
v Woodbridge W 31 - 19
v Oundle L 15 - 22
This was always going to be difficult once captain Lloyd
Hayes was unavailable; however this was compounded
when Bryn Phillips pulled a hamstring in the opening
match. We still started brightly, playing good sevens, but
as happened before with short recovery time after King’s
Worcester we looked tired in the second match. Playing
on a pitch the same size as Pump House we were
steam-rollered in the next match with Pangbourne. We
had a late rally in the second half but we looked well
beaten. Against Woodbridge, the whipping boys of the
group, everyone enjoyed a run out, and it left us with the
final match against Oundle. Even if we had won we
would have gone out on points difference but we wanted
to give a good account of ourselves. We began as a true
charity and gifted them three tries. We then played some
excellent sevens to bring things back to go down only
four tries to three.
Although a let-down after winning the King’s Worcester
tournament there were some positives to take from this.
Seven players from the squad will return next year much
more experienced after a sevens campaign in which we
played well although a little inconsistently.
PAG
Squad: Baxter GW, Brereton OD, Coubrough AT,
Goodwin WJ, Hayes RL (Captain), Jones MD, King T,
Oakden AS, Padgett MN, Phillips DB, Phillips IW, Sole
JO, Walters LT, Webb JP, Wignall HE.
King’s Worcester Sevens Champions
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Adams Grammar School Tournament well to lead 14 - 10 at half time. A half-time talk about
pressure in defence made all the difference in the
Group games second half and we scored three unanswered tries as we
v Sandbach School W 26 - 21 caught them in possession and moved the ball brilliantly
ourselves – the first try after the break could only be
v Old Swinford Hospital W 31 - 14 described as the ‘perfect try’ as the whole team handled
v Birkenhead School w/o to move the ball from one touch line to the other to
outflank the defence and give an easy run in. An
Semi-Final unfortunate injury to one of their players led to
v Malvern College W 54 - 5 Birkenhead withdrawing and so denying us our third
group game but we topped the league anyway.
Final In the other group the final game between Adams and
Malvern had decided things with Adams winning. As
v Sandbach School W 24 - 12 runners-up (after beating Bishop Vesey and Caldy
Grange) Malvern played us. We had won a close
Ellesmere Cup Winners encounter in the 15s season but here we were
As usual the team travelled to Adams very short of unstoppable. Tremendous pressure on them when they
practice and approaching the tournament in true had the ball produced many turnovers and we moved the
‘Corinthian Spirit’. ball well to run in eight tries – the last three with our two
most powerful players taken off for a rest.
Sandbach had won the equivalent U14 tournament last
year and were clearly the favourites for this year too. (It The final against Sandbach, who had defeated Adams
turned out later that they had not lost a Sevens game for with a ‘golden try’ after drawing at full time, produced
two years, winning three tournaments in that time. Just some high quality sevens. Having taken the lead we were
as well that we didn’t know!) The first game was an untidy behind at the break but still in touch due to some
affair with many errors made on both sides but we fantastic covering and tackling by Colin Dickson. As the
managed to keep our noses in front, and although we referee had been hard on us in the first half he gave the
missed some tackles and leaked a couple of tries opposition no leeway in the second and so, with a decent
towards the end we held on for a very narrow win. A amount of possession, we took the game to them, our
reassessment of our strengths led to some positional own defence really piling on the pressure when they had
changes as we prepared to take on a very slick-looking the ball. They were using a rush defence in the centre
OSH team. Initially we struggled as they moved the ball and so we decided to attack closer to the scrum, lineout

106

or loose. Powerful running and good support saw us
through to a great win and our first victory at the Adams
Tournament.
Everybody contributed to the victory. Sam Owen ended
up on the wing running in several scores, and played his
part in stopping and reloading for the ‘perfect try’. Ed
Morris and Conor Carrington-Sykes competed for a
place in the forwards, and worked hard to achieve
possession as well as learning to get up in defence to
exert pressure. James Latter hooked well, threw in
effectively and improved his defence. Luke Taylor scored
a key try with an outrageous dummy in the first game,
and was able to come on to give Colin a rest in the semi-
final. Dominic Simpson was always elusive and sound in
defence as well as demonstrating a ‘good set of wheels’
from time to time. James Preston defended well, kicked
off sublimely so enabling us to put pressure on from the
kick-off and converted fifteen of our twenty-one tries.
Louis Chaudron worked tirelessly to turn over
possession and put in some hard-hitting tackles. Colin
Dickson, playing at scrumhalf, was our top scorer and
was responsible for the two cover tackles in the first half
of the final that probably made the win possible.
As we went through the afternoon our handling improved
as did our understanding of the need to support and
keep possession. Similarly our preparation for each
game, taken seriously and worked on by the players
themselves, contributed in no small way to their success.
All in all it was a super afternoon – the sun even shone
for a period of time and yes, the bacon butties were
great!
Warwick School Tournament
v Portsmouth Grammar School L 5 - 38
(Eventual losing finalists)
v Warwick School L 7- 40
v Sir Thomas Rich’s L 17 - 19
A weakened squad failed to play to the best of their
ability. Whilst the endeavour of individuals was all one
could expect, the team work necessary for success at
this high level (PGS having already won competitions this
year and Warwick being the winners at U14 last year)
was lacking on this occasion.
Despite the disappointment of the first two games the
squad pulled themselves together in the final game and
were unlucky not to win since they dominated the second
half, scoring twice.
King’s Worcester Tournament
v Wellington School W 52 - 0
v King’s Worcester L 19 - 22
v Hereford Cathedral W 47 - 7
v Bromsgrove School W 43 - 0
v Old Swinford Hospital L 12 - 42
v Royal Grammar School Worcester L 12 - 21
When we were good we were quite good, when we were
bad we were rather poor. The early signs were quite
encouraging as we easily disposed of Wellington; the
whole squad played in the opening game and we
seemed to be back to the level of performance that had
seen us win the Adams’ Tournament. As the second
game started and we moved into a 14 - 0 lead all seemed
well, but we neglected to bunch up in front of the ball
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The Ellesmerian 2010
carrier and allowed a nippy runner to round our forwards
to get a try back. Even so we pressed again and good
support saw us over for a 19 - 5 half time lead. However
in the second half we lost the contact battle, made
several silly errors and failed to clear our lines when
given the chance following some really good
scrummaging. Worcester kicked off for the last passage
of play leading by three points and although we broke
away with the ball we could not support our runner and
the opportunity to snatch back victory was missed.
To have a chance of progressing from the group we had
to win at least two of our last three games. Hereford
Cathedral offered little resistance and the subs were on
early to give others a rest. Bromsgrove seemed to offer
tough opposition but we played quite superbly.
Reclaiming the ball from the kick-off on several
occasions we scored four first-half tries without
Bromsgrove having any meaningful time with the ball. A
further three scores in the second half saw us to a
remarkable and comprehensive victory. Sadly this proved
to be the peak of our day. OSH, whom we had
comfortably beaten at Adams, profited from some weak
play in mid-field and completely dominated the contact
area – this proved to be our weak area throughout and
one that lack of any meaningful coaching time had
meant was uncoached – giving them the lion’s share of
possession.
Coming third in the group we were now due to play RGS
in a play-off. The squad was clearly very tired and
disappointed in the OSH result. We did not play to our
potential and on a narrow pitch too often found ourselves
in contact situations, suffered a turnover, and were then
immediately under pressure again. We were 12 - 14
down at half time and although we pressed for a time we
failed to move the ball when we should, too many players
going on their own, and the opposition finally broke away
for the only score of the half.
Whilst it was perhaps a disappointing end to the Sevens
season we can be pleased with the fact of winning the
Adams’ Tournament and bagging a cup – not many
teams achieve a win! Well done everyone.
MDTS
Adams Tournament Winners
Back Row from left: CQ Carrington-Sykes,
JEA Preston, C Dickson, LB Chaudron
Centre Row from left: JE Latter, DW Simpson,
LG Taylor
Front row: EE Morris, SL Owen (Captain) with trophy
Also played this season: KPA McNamara, GW Beal
 The Ellesmerian 2010
This was a very short Sevens season for the U14s.
Practices were very limited due to it being Football
season, so it came as no surprise that we struggled at
the Adams Sevens where we won only one game – it
was still very disappointing as the team possessed a
great deal of talent. They were still trying to play fifteens-
style rugby and took too much contact.
The second tournament was hosted by Warwick School,
where some of the top schools from all over the country
took part. We played Sedbergh in the first game, and
proved to ourselves that if we avoid contact we can
actually play some good sevens. We led the game with
only two minutes remaining, but unfortunately lost the
ball in contact and allowed them to score with us losing
by a few points.
Our second game was against Bishop Vesey’s where we
started the game without our “big guns” and let our
reserves start so that every player played at least one
game. Although we won the game comfortably, it ended
up costing us a place in the quarter final.
108
Our final game was against Solihull, who had earlier
beaten Sedbergh, so a tough game was on the cards.
We played fantastic sevens, scored some great tries and
defended brilliantly. We won the game well and had to
wait for the end of the Sedbergh vs. Bishop Vesey’s
game to know whether we would progress into the
quarter final. Unfortunately for us, although we had won
two of our three games, as had Sedbergh and Solihull, it
came down to points difference and we lost out by a few
points This was mainly because the other two teams had
played their best players in all the games, while we gave
our entire squad some game time.
I trust the players learnt more about the game of Sevens
this year and will be able to take this forward with them.
Well done and good luck next year.
CCC
Squad: Beal GW, Crow G, Collard-Underwood HC, von
Hoven PJ, Lock OR, Miller AJ, Parker EM, Parker TH
(Captain), Rogers JSJW, Suckling LA, Whitehouse HA.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Despite snow and rain at the start of term the Sevens promising season. We looked competitive with some
squad trained continuously throughout the term. The very strong teams and showed progression throughout
team was well supported with fifteen or more boys the season.
turning out for training. Unfortunately the combinations ILW
of weight restrictions and the limited number of Squad: Broburg JJ, Byrne HN, Edwards CC,
tournaments for us to enter didn’t allow us to give every Hughes JW, Kinney MP, Lyttle JA, Roberts JA,
boy a start. However, the skills development which took Thomas JS, Watkin GP(Captain), Williams HC,
place will certainly help in the fifteen-a-side season. Wilson JD, Wynn BJ .
The first tournament was at Adams. We started well,
winning both of our opening matches, then lost narrowly
to qualify as second in our group. We played Adams in
the semi-final but were just edged in a tight encounter.
Adams went on to win the event.
The next tournament was at Packwood. Luck was not
with us as in our group were the eventual finalists in
Adams and St Olaves. We played well in the group
stages and qualified for the Plate semi-final. But the
extreme effort expended in playing in a tough pool stage
showed in the semi. We took the lead but eventually lost
out by a conversion, having looked the better side.
The final tournament was at home. We didn’t play well in
the group stages but managed to battle our way through
to the Plate final, beating Old Swinford, whom we had
lost to earlier in the season, along the way. Unfortunately
fitness and structure let us down and, having drawn with
Woodlands in the group match, we looked tired and Harry Williams with Jacob Roberts in close support at
couldn’t pull out a performance. Overall it has been a the Adams Sevens Tournament

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Girls’ Hockey

Representative Honours 2009
Season Review 2009
Shropshire U13 Beth Hulme
Girls’ Hockey, once again, has enjoyed a successful
season. We have again used the astroturf pitch at
Shawbury in Wednesday Senior Games time so that all Shropshire U14 Ellie Halstead
our Senior Teams can train on the playing surface on
which many schools are now playing their hockey. This is Shropshire U15 Annie Rogan
essential and is the key to us performing well against
other schools who are playing the fast-flowing game of
Hockey that we aspire to. Many of our girls are regularly Shropshire U17 Vicky von Hoven
attending Hockey Clubs or Junior Development Centres Vivian Grudde
(JDCs) in the area and are bringing their experiences
back into our school hockey. Ellie Halstead was also selected for the Midlands County
Squad.
There have been some creditable performances during
the season. Last year the 1st XI enjoyed an unbeaten Many of our girls attended the Junior Development
Centres around the area in order to progress further to
season and it was always going to be hard to beat that
the County squads.
achievement, especially after saying goodbye to a
number of the players. The team had a new outlook -
new coaches and new young players. However, they
didn’t disappoint and they won six out of their nine
matches convincingly. A special thanks should go to
Vivian Grudde, who captained the team and always led
by example both in training and in matches. There are
only a few girls leaving this year and I would like to thank
them for their contribution to Girls’ Sport at the College.
During the second part of the term many of our fixtures
were cancelled, mainly due to the weather and our
pitches being unplayable. The 2nd XI played four
matches and lost all. This year we decided to go back to
the system of Junior A and B teams for the U14 and U15
squads. The Junior A squad had an unbeaten season.
They were very professional in their approach and many Coach Helen Davenport (far left) running a training
had call ups to the 1st XI Squad. The Junior Bs enjoyed session for the senior girls
their season and progressed as the season developed.
U11s in action
Although we entered all County tournaments this year, Left: Lottie Hulme drives
we did not achieve the same success as last year. the ball up the field
However we did finish 3rd in both the U16 and U14 against Moreton Hall
Tournaments.
Lower School Hockey continues to thrive! The U13s won Below: Mia Foster
four out of their six matches and were runners-up in the captures the ball from
U13 North Shropshire Tournament, and the U12s had an her Lyndon challengers
unbeaten season. Considering there are only thirteen
girls in this year, winning all their matches was a
considerable achievement. The U11s and U10s also had
a full fixture but the emphasis here is all about
participation and the enjoyment of the game.
I would like to thank all the coaching staff for their hard
work during the season. The success of Girls’ Hockey at
Ellesmere is largely down to their motivation and the
amount of time they dedicate to their teams’ training. A
special thank you should go to Mr Richard Purnell and
Miss Anwen Pugh for coaching the 1st XI Hockey this
year, which I know they have found challenging at times.
I must also thank Miss Pugh for help in co-ordinating the
running of the Girls’ Fixtures.
HLD

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results themselves to be more than capable of coping with the

demands of first team hockey.
v Stafford Grammar W 6 - 0
With Zoe unavailable for the King’s Chester match, the
v Wolverhampton Grammar W 8 - 0 team reverted to a more traditional 3-4-3 formation in
v King’s Chester D 2 - 2 order to bolster the defence. We started well and two
v Rydal Penrhos W 1 - 0 goals from Steph Newport-Booth, who had an immense
v Thomas Alleyne’s High W 7 - 0 game, gave us a deserved early lead. However, we tired
v Abbots Bromley W 4 - 0 significantly in the second half and the opposition were
able to exploit the gaps that opened up between our
v Shrewsbury School L 3 - 4 defensive lines to level the score. The last ten minutes
v Moreton Hall W 2 - 0 were extremely tense and it needed several excellent
v Wrekin College L 0 - 7 saves by Vicky von Hoven to keep us in the match. We
displayed plenty of fighting spirit but the way we lost our
The season began in earnest a week before the start of shape towards the end of the game provided convincing
term with an intensive two days of pre-season training. evidence for adhering to 2-3-5 for the rest of the season.
This enabled the coaches to begin the process of
selecting fresh talent into the squad after the departure Two quick goals by Olivia Dingwall-Fordyce against
of eight players from the all-conquering side of 2008. It Wolverhampton Grammar settled any early nerves and
also provided an opportunity for the players to refresh allowed us to execute short passing to retain possession
some core skills and get to grips with the new self-pass and change our channels of attack. Emily Wicks
directive - arguably the most significant change in the repeatedly got in behind the opposition defence to
laws of the game since the elimination of the offside rule. provide dangerous crosses from the dead-ball line, and
Our subsequent training then focused on familiarising the Olivia made some excellent lead runs to create space
squad with the philosophy and principles of the 2-3-5 and pull defenders out of position. Overall, this was a
system of play, which the coaches felt would best utilise comprehensive win accomplished in fine style.
the individual strengths of the players and facilitate a As predicted, the match against Rydal Penrhos proved to
short passing game in all areas of the pitch. be an extremely tight and absorbing contest. We started
The opening match against Stafford Grammar was very tentatively and spent much of the first fifteen
predictably scrappy and a more even contest than the minutes defending inside our 25-metre area, but towards
result suggests. However, we took our chances well and half time our confidence increased and we were able to
the sequence of passes that led to the final goal was hold our lines higher up the pitch. We posed more of a
superb. Vivian Grudde was the catalyst for much of our threat after the interval and Vivian eventually broke the
attacking play and some outstanding recovery work by deadlock with some quick thinking on a free hit just
Zoe Evans meant that our defence rarely came under outside the circle. Our passing and movement improved
serious threat. Chloe Prydden, Sarah Wicks and Grace significantly after the goal and, with Charlotte Shearer
Tomlinson had impressive debuts and showed and Viola Grosvenor resolute in defence, we never

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
looked in trouble despite the narrow lead. We did not
realise it at the time but that amazing second half
performance was the pinnacle of our season.
With the squad supplemented by several Junior As, we
travelled to Uttoxeter to play back-to-back matches
against Thomas Alleyne's High School and Abbots
Bromley. We took control of the first game right from the
start and a 4 - 0 lead at half time enabled us to provide
the younger members of the party with a taste of First
Team hockey. These substitutions did not upset our
momentum and showed that we have some promising
talent waiting in the wings. Indeed, Ellie Halstead was so
impressive that she was drafted into the squad for the
rest of the season, which is a remarkable achievement
for such a young player. In our second match both sides
produced some good hockey despite having to play
under floodlights in torrential rain. Abbots Bromley
passed the ball well but we had the all-important cutting
edge. A drenched, but very happy, band of travellers
boarded the bus for the long journey home knowing they
had accomplished their mission in impressive fashion!
From then on, our fortune, along with the weather, took a
downward turn. Deteriorating pitches and conflicting
demands on players’ time seriously impeded our training
programme at a crucial point in the season. We were well
aware that our next opponents posed a significant threat.
Although we had previously beaten Shrewsbury School
in the first stage of the U18 National Tournament, the 5 -
1 defeat they inflicted on us in the second round proved
just how dangerous they could be! We took an early lead,
but mistakes in defence and clever movement by the
opposition forwards meant that we were soon behind. To
their great credit, the girls fought back to make it 3 - 3 but
with only minutes to go we were undone by a clinical
penalty corner routine. The reaction of the opposition
players and coaches at the final whistle showed just how
much the victory meant to them and, to be fair, they just
about deserved it on the overall balance of play.
After that first defeat we were determined to put things
right against Moreton Hall. This proved to be yet another
tense affair as both teams battled to gain control of the
midfield. As in the previous game we put ourselves under
unnecessary pressure by giving away too many free hits,
but excellent marking by Sophie Halstead and Grace
Tomlinson made it difficult for the opposition wingers to
penetrate our circle. In the second half we began to look
the stronger side and two clean strikes by Olivia sealed
the victory.
And so it came to the final match of the season. This was
always going to be our toughest challenge but the 1 - 1
draw we had secured against Wrekin College in the U18
Tournament gave us reason to be optimistic about our
chances. We started brightly but missed an excellent
early chance and then conceded two soft goals. From
that point on, Wrekin grew in confidence and turned on
the style. Slick passing, intelligent movement and quick
transfers out of congested areas made it very difficult for
us to get hold of the ball. When possession was
achieved we tried to clear our lines with long passes that
simply gave the ball away. It was a painful and
disappointing way to end the season but full credit to our
opponents for producing some sublime hockey. In truth,
we were not prepared physically or mentally for the
encounter and, coming at the end of a full and
demanding schedule of matches and tournaments, this
was probably a game too far.
112
Following in the wake of an unbeaten team is always
difficult as judgments about the degree of progress and
success of the current side tend to be coloured by
comparisons with the previous season’s achievements.
Although we were unable to match the heights of 2008,
winning six of our nine games and scoring 33 goals
represents a very creditable performance. Well done to
all involved - including Mel Evans and Charlotte Boffey
who never put a foot wrong on the pitch but had to be
content with spending much of their time sitting on the
subs bench. Finally, huge thanks to the all those parents
who were prepared to brave the elements and support us
through thick and thin.
RJP
Season’s Awards
Player of the Year Vivian Grudde
Players’ Player Ellie Halstead
Most Improved Player Grace Tomlinson
Squad: Boffey CRD, Dingwall-Fordyce OR, Evans MA,
Evans ZL (vice-captain), Grosvenor VG, Grudde VZ
(captain), Halstead ED, Halstead SL, von Hoven VA,
Newport-Booth SL, Prydden CL, Shearer CR, Tomlinson
GTM, Wicks EJ, Wicks SE.
1st Team Tournaments
Wrekin College Sevens Tournament
At the start of the season the girls played exceptionally
well to progress to the semi-final of Wrekin College’s
Sevens tournament. Ellesmere faced a tough match
against a very experienced Denstone College team, yet
gained success in all other matches, beating
Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury School, Wrekin
College B and Ludlow College. A close semi-final against
Wrekin College A resulted in a 2 - 1 loss. Throughout the
day, the girls demonstrated some very good skills and
advanced team play, which gave us much optimism for
the season ahead.
U18 England National Schools Hockey Champioship
The first team were aiming to add to last year’s success
in the U18 England National Schools Hockey
Championship. Following the results of the first
tournament, Ellesmere looked the favourite team to
progress on to the Midlands section, yet their dreams
were dashed by illness. Round 1 results included a 2 - 2
draw against Shrewsbury Sixth Form (Grudde 1,
Dingwall-Fordyce 1), a 2 - 1 win over Shrewsbury School
(Grudde 1, Dingwall-Fordyce 1) and a 3 - 0 victory over
Moreton Hall (Grudde 2, Dingwall-Fordyce 1). In Round
2, irrespective of sickness, the players fought on but
suffered an unlucky 5 - 1 defeat to Shrewsbury School
(Grudde 1). They regained some pride with a 4 - 0 victory
over Ludlow College (Grudde 2, Dingwall-Fordyce 2),
and remained strong in the toughest match of the day
against Wrekin College. Ellesmere played with great
determination and effort, and captain Vivian Grudde led
the way when she took the lead early on in the game.
Ellesmere had overcome the mistakes apparent in their
first match, and were transferring the play with much
confidence and ease. Within the closing minutes,
Ellesmere were hoping for glory, yet Wrekin equalised
with seconds to go. The girls were devastated, and it was
such a disappointment that they were not on their best
performance in the first match of the day.
AP

Summary of Results
v Rydal Penrhos L 0 - 3
v Oswestry L 0 - 2
v Moreton Hall L 0 - 7
v Wrekin L 0 - 12
Seconds Hockey is made up of pupils new to the sport
in the upper school and those that have chosen to
continue playing just for the fun of it. Regardless of their
hockey background, all members of the seconds were
keen to learn new skills and of course represent the
College. All the away matches were on astro-turf and
this always takes a little getting used to. Travelling away
was always hard, especially for the first match of the
season. This is certainly true when playing Rydal. The
girls put in a good performance and came close to
scoring in the second half.
At the end of the first half we were one goal down with
everything to play for. The defence was superb, clearing
well and allowing the midfield to move the ball forward.
Carys Fieldhouse controlled the game, jut as a good
captain should. After half time, the Rydal substitutes put
us under a lot of pressure, but Ellesmere withstood the
onslaught. Two unlucky breaks saw the final result end
3 - 0, the last goal in the dying minutes.
The next match of the season was at home on grass
against an unknown Oswestry team so we were unsure
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The Ellesmerian 2010
what to expect. The first half showed them to be of a
very similar standard to us. At the end of the first half the
score was 0 - 0. Both sides had chances, and some
good saves from Pippa in her debut as goalie kept us in
the match. Carys once again dominated the midfield
and controlled the play throughout. A couple of good
breaks by Hannah nearly put us through, with Katherine
going wide of the post by a few centimetres. The
deadlock was finally broken by two quick goals from
Oswestry.
Three days later we were playing Moreton Hall on a
really wet and windy day. Despite the brave defending
and fortitude of all the players it was not enough to hold
back a much stronger team. The following week told a
similar story when we played Wrekin.
Despite the defeats the players were upbeat as they just
enjoyed playing hockey. Good luck to all those that have
now gone on to college or university and may the hockey
continue.
RC
Squad: Cumpston HM, Fieldhouse CM, Griffiths JL,
Kanniess RE, Leadbeater VS, Neary KE, Osborne SA,
Price PJ, Richardson SAH, Riggs CE, Ring RMM,
Schaeff VLK, Walker E
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Summary of Results
v King’s Chester W 1 - 0
v Wolverhampton Grammar School W 4 - 0
v Rydal Penrhos W 4 - 0
v Oswestry School D 0 - 0
This year the decision was made to go back to the Junior
A and B system. The Junior A squad consisted of a
group of fourteen girls from Years 9 and 10 who I know
will be our 1st XI squad in two years’ time. A 1 - 0 victory
in the girls’ first match against a good King’s Chester
side gave the team much confidence at the start of the
season. This was always going to be a tough first match,
especially away on their astroturf. Thankfully, the team
made a solid start which encouraged all those who
watched the game. The defence impressed straight
away, with the King’s forwards being unable to make any
attacking moves as Eve Davies, Sarah Carr and Bethany
Lyttle dominated and cleared any risks. The young
midfield of Ellie Halstead, Annie Rogan and Emma
Greville started to move the ball well and played a mature
game, feeding the forwards, who unfortunately lacked
the finish in this game.
In the next games against Wolverhampton and Rydal the
attacking players were on fire, scoring four goals in each
match. The team were a delight to watch, using the width
of the pitch nicely by recycling the ball when needed. It
was great to see them putting their training into practice
in a match situation. Ellie Halstead, playing in the centre,
used her pace to open up the defence so that she could
sprint with the ball down the middle of the field. Kate
Norman and Tara Goodwin were always a threat up front.
Kate’s finishes were superb; after being supplied with the
114
ball from midfield she scored four goals in two matches.
Alex Brooks, Georgina Cutcliffe and Georgina Ottaway
also deserve a mention for their hard work in keeping
possession on the attack.
After Half Term many of our fixtures had to be cancelled
due to poor playing conditions. This was a shame as the
girls’ hockey was developing nicely and they were
regularly matching the 1st XI in ability in friendly matches
during Friday night squad training. In fact some of the
girls were invited to play for the 1sts, and Ellie Halstead
fitted in so well that she was given a regular place.
We did manage to fit in another match after Half Term,
against Oswestry School. Conditions weren’t great and
our team was depleted of regular players due to the 1st
XI having a fixture. I can best describe the game as a
feisty one. We did have most of the possession, but
Oswestry played well and we were unable to find the
back of the net after some superb saves from the
Oswestry goalkeeper.
Despite the cancellations in the latter stages of the
season the girls developed a cohesive style of play, with
several players demonstrating an advanced
understanding of tactics and strategy. I describe them
now as a team playing an astro game on grass. They
have been a delight to coach and have shown a mature
approach in all areas. A special mention should go to
Kate Norman and Bethany Lyttle, who led the team well.
Well done everyone - what a good season we had!
HLD
Squad: Andrews MJ, Biggs EV, Brooks AH, Carr SC,
Cutcliffe GE, Davies EH, Goodwin TL, Greville EL,
Halstead ED, Khan SH, Lyttle BH, Norman K, Ottaway
GI, Rogan AH.

Summary of Results
v Abbots Bromley W 1
v Rydal L 0
v Adcote (coached game) W 4
v Oswestry D 0
This was something of a foreshortened season for the
Junior B team. Games were lost to the weather and even
to mass hysteria at the possible spread of swine ‘flu. In
the event, they played out four very different games and
hopefully learned a good deal from them.
Victory in the first game against Abbots Bromley was no
small achievement. The game had nil – nil written all
over it until Alice Tow, frustrated at a lack of enterprise up
front, meandered forward and slotted home the game’s
only goal. In many respects, the following match against
Rydal was a better performance, despite the result going
the other way. Rydal were strong and well organized,
dominating possession. Brave defence spearheaded by
Amelia Morris held out until minutes from the end when
The Ellesmerian 2010
- 0 it was finally breached. The Junior Bs then played a
- 1 coached game against Adcote – a very amicable fixture
- 0 against a young and inexperienced team that saw our
girls secure a 4 - 0 win. The final game was an unusual
- 0
one – a game of three halves against Oswestry, where
the first period was played out by the Junior As, the
second by the regular Junior B team and the third by
effectively a C team. The As and Bs both had goalless
draws, and the Cs battled bravely to a 2 - 0 defeat.
Credit is due to the many players who turned out for the
Junior Bs, who were ably and energetically led by their
captain Sian Gatenby.
TEB
Squad: Bulanda JM, Edwards CA, Fisher OG,
Gatenby S, Gough LM, Hampton LJE, Hobbs EN,
Martin-Jones AM, Morris AA, Osborne EL, Palmer EE,
Parry KLD, Pegg JL, Rogers HL, Sheldon SA, Swan HL,
Tow AM, Williams HJ, Williams S.
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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Overall the U13 squad had a positive
season. They faced a challenging
fixture list against a number of strong
teams. Out of the six fixtures played,
four resulted in a win with two defeats.
However, we scored twenty-two goals
and conceded only five goals, giving a
very healthy goal difference of +17
goals. We also entered two teams
into the North Shropshire
Tournament; both teams were
unfortunate to lose narrowly in their
respective semi-finals. The high point
of the season was a 10 - 0 victory
over Oswestry School. Zoe
Zembrzuski was top scorer with an
impressive tally of nine goals from six
games. The team has a great deal of
potential for the future.
SO and LK
Squad: Bruce GA, Burrows MJ,
Craig N, Davies EM, Edwards GB,
Fawke JEC, Gatenby H, Hill AJ,
Marshall IJE, Neary RE, Snailum AG,
Stackhouse GL, Zembrzuski ZA.
U13 Summary of Results
v Abbots Bromley W 2-0 U12 Summary of Results
v Wolverhampton Grammar School W 5-0
v Abbots Bromley W 4 - 0
v Oswestry School W 10 - 0
v Wolverhampton Grammar School W 4 - 0
v Rydal Penrhos W 5-1
v Rydal Penrhos W 3 - 0
v King’s Chester L 1-0 v Packwood Haugh D 1 - 1
v Packwood Haugh L 3-0
North Shropshire Tournament This year a different coaching approach was adopted for
the U12 team which proved very useful and successful,
Pool Games with all girls showing much progression. Consequently,
v Marches D 0 - 0 all girls were chosen to represent the school. Key players
v Ellesmere ‘B’ W 1 - 0 such as Beth Hulme, Jess Martin-Jones and Tilly Walker
proved very forceful, resulting in Ellesmere dominating
v Adcote W 5 - 0 every match. Intelligent play and ball distribution was
v Oswestry W 4 - 0 applied by each player, allowing them to gain the upper
Semi-final hand over their opponents. There were strong victories
v Sir John Talbot D 0-0 against Abbotts Bromley, Wolverhampton Grammar
School and Rydal Penrhos, and a respectable draw
Lost on penalties against Packwood Haugh. Unfortunately, several other
matches were cancelled due to
bad weather. The results
indicate an excellent season,
particularly with such a small
year-group.
Several girls attended a
Shropshire Junior Academy
Centre session for assessment,
and despite being young
candidates for their group they
all did very well. Beth Hulme was
asked to attend training and
represent the County, but the
others should remain hopeful for
next year’s selection.
AP
Squad: Arnold TR, Austin SA,
Brenninkmeyer HS, Collard-
Underwood AE, Forde-Johnston
AK, Hiley SE, Hulme ES,
Latham AK, Leeming KE,
Martin-Jones JE, Rickett CR,
Walker M, Wilson IAM.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
simply did not have any luck
when they played Lyndon Prep
and in the second match
against The Firs they failed to
use their width. In the
Packwood game they made
themselves vulnerable to
counter-attacks because too
many players got ahead of the
ball. However, the girls took on
board the lessons learned from
these defeats and produced
some awesome hockey in their
final game to finish the season
on a high.
U11 Squad: Bradley CH,
Bulanda JL, Davies EL, Dutton
SM, Edwards GI, Forde-
Johnston SP, Foster NB
(Captain), Holland RE, Hulme
CR, Hulme RC, Lindop GE,
Moore KE, Mundell LH,
Shields E, Stokes ESH,
Williams TJ, Williamson KAR.

U11 Team Summary of Results

U10 Summary of Results
v Moreton Hall W 1 - 0
v The Firs W 3 - 1 v Moreton Hall W 1 - 0
v Lyndon Prep L 0 - 1 v The Firs L 1 - 2
v The Firs L 0 - 2 v The Firs L 0 - 3
v Packwood Haugh L 1 - 2 v Packwood Haugh W 2 - 0
v Moreton Hall W 8 - 0 v Moreton Hall W 6 - 2
Matches at junior level are supposed to be about Team selection for the U10s was not an easy task as
development rather than results, but try telling that to our there are many enthusiastic and promising athletes
U11 team! This talented and highly competitive group of
within the cohort. The players struggled in their early
players love their hockey and cannot get enough of the
matches but under the guidance of Mrs Cox and Mrs
game. The season started on a positive note with wins
over Moreton Hall and The Firs, but then came the Griffiths their structure and team play improved
disappointment of three consecutive defeats. The girls significantly. By the end of the season they had
developed into a very useful unit
and their victory at Packwood
was a feat that very few College
sides, at any level, have achieved
in the past.
U10 Squad: Bulanda JL, Davies
AS, Davies CM, Dutton SM
Edwards GI, Foster MN, Holland
RE, Hulme CR, Hulme RC,
Lindop GE, Moore KE, Shaw MH,
Shields E, Stokes ESH, Stokes
KAH, Walsh EC (Captain).
Well done to all the Key Stage 2
girls. The enthusiasm, energy and
skills witnessed throughout the
season must bode well for the
future. Finally, special thanks to
Chris von Hoven and Chris
Johnson who provided fantastic
support in training and retained
the element of fun with their
adapted version of ‘bulldogs’!
RJP

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Netball
Overview of the Season groups. The 1st VII beat four other schools in the U19
competition and the U14 VII beat ten schools to win their
Ellesmere College Netball enjoyed yet another
tournament.
successful season on the courts, though the Lent Term
didn’t get off to a flying start as the weather stopped Many of our girls are now beginning to show a real love
much of our training for the first three weeks. The Sports for their Netball and many have started attending a
Hall was in much demand for Squad practices! Netball Club. Tara Goodwin was selected for the U14
Fortunately, Netball being an indoor as well as outdoor Shropshire Squad and she was also a regular 1st VII
sport, we were able to play some of our fixtures in the player.
Sports Hall. This year we fielded twelve teams, with I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the
many years fielding an A and a B team. This means that Netball this term. All coaches put a lot of hard work into
again over one hundred girls represented Ellesmere at their teams and this year the hard work has definitely
some point during the term. paid off. Thanks!
As usual we were in for tough competition, with schools HLD
such as Thomas Telford, Wrekin College and 1st Team Summary of Results
Wolverhampton Grammar in our fixture list. We were
keen to see how closely we could compete with these v Thomas Telford L 31 -8
schools, which have national reputations for Netball. v Bedstone College W 27 - 13
The 1st VII was made up of old and new players, a group v Oswestry School W 12 - 11
of talented girls who developed as the term progressed. v Stafford Grammar School W 17 -7
The team was captained by Emily Wicks. She led the v Wrekin College L 25 - 13
way both in training and in matches. All the 1st VII v Moreton Hall W 16 - 12
deserve to be commended, alongside the 2nd VII, on v Rydal Penrhos W 11 -8
theattitude and passion they show for representing v Denstone College W 13 - 11
Ellesmere College, as they act as excellent role models
for the younger teams. v Thomas Telford L 17 -7
v Wolverhampton Grammar L 24 - 21
North Shropshire Tournaments were the highlight of the
term for many of our teams. They are always hotly U19 North Shropshire Tournament
contested with around ten schools in the region entering. v Thomas Adams W 11 - 4
We also entered the U15 and U12 Shropshire v Oswestry School W 20 - 1
Tournaments. The 1st VII and U14 VII performed the
best and both teams won the competition in their age v Moreton Hall W 9-2
Winners of the Tournament

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
With many of the girls having been in the 1st VII last year, Squad: Dingwall-Fordyce OR, Evans ZL, Goodwin TL,
much of the play was already instilled into them and it Grosvenor VZ, Halstead SL, Haynes ZE, Kennerley JE,
didn’t take long for the team to gel successfully. We were Newport-Booth SL, Wicks EJ.
lucky to have Sophie Halstead, Steph Newport-Booth, The following awards were given at the end of the
Zoe Haynes and Tara Goodwin join the squad to add season:
depth. Team selection proved a difficult task due to the
dedication of the girls in training and their commitment to Best Player Award Viola Grosvenor
play. We often used some 2nd VII players and thank Most Improved Player Sophie Halstead
them for their contribution, especially Julie Kennerley. Players Player Emily Wicks
This term saw us win over half our matches, which is
2nd Team Summary of Results
probably the best season we have had for six years. In
addition the matches we lost against Thomas Telford, v Thomas Telford Academy L 3 - 25
Wrekin College and Wolverhampton Grammar proved to v Stafford Grammar School W 9-6
be even matches and great competition. It was great to v Wrekin (combined with 1st Team) L 13 - 23
see the girls competing so well against schools of high
v Moreton Hall L 5 - 23
Netball reputation. The shooters Zoe Haynes, Zoe Evans
and Y9 girl Tara Goodwin all worked well together in the v Thomas Telford Academy L 5 - 11
circle and their shooting success rate was very high. The v Rydal Penrhos (combined 2nds/U15) W 24 - 15
centre court players of Emily Wicks, Sophie Halstead
The 2nd VII played a number of games against some
and Olivia Dingwall-Fordyce were probably the strongest
very strong teams and by the end of the season their
we have had for a while. Sophie Halstead was
performances had improved as a result. Although they
recognised as a quality player by many of the other
suffered losses in the two games against Thomas
schools’ coaches. Our defence unit of Viola Grosvenor
Telford, the deficit was much reduced in the latter game.
and Steph Newport-Booth was excellent. They worked
The team were worthy victors in the match against a very
hard in all their matches and were always quick to break
physical Stafford Grammar team. Players were also able
down the opposition’s attack. A special mention should
to take part in combined teams with both the 1st VII and
go to Emily Wicks who has represented the College at
the U15 team. Although it was a challenging season, all
First Team Level for three years and has played a huge
players are to be congratulated for their spirit and
role in the development of Netball.
determination.
Possibly the highlight of the season was winning the U19 LK
North Shropshire Tournament. We have tried to win it for
the last five years but were always beaten by Oswestry Squad: Britton RAL, Cumpston AM, Evans MA,
School. However, this year was to be our year; we beat Kennerley JE, Osbourne SA, Prydden CL, Shearer CR,
the three other schools comfortably. Tomlinson GTM, Wicks SE.
HLD

119
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results
v Stafford Grammar School L 4 - 34 However Denstone still proved too strong for us and beat
v Oswestry W 10 - 4 us 22 - 11. The girls were a bit despondent as they felt
v Moreton Hall W 20 - 9 they could have won this had a few decisions gone their
v Rydal Penrhos W 24 - 15 way. It was however a good effort from them - and
perhaps next year!
v Bedstone College W 19 - 9
v Denstone College L 22 - 11 The girls had a good afternoon at the County
v Wolverhampton Grammar L 12 - 28 Tournament, winning all their group matches and going
(combined U15/Senior B) into the semi-final. Unfortunately they lost their way and
their concentration a bit and did not progress any further.
The U15s had a good season with four wins and three
The final game of the season, with a mixture of U15 and
losses. They also reached the semi-final of the County
Senior B players, went ahead in dreadful wet conditions.
netball tournament.
We never really got going in this match and lost heavily.
It started with a tough away fixture at Staffordshire The combination of a very slippy surface and the
Grammar, and although we performed better than the different substitions made it a particularly difficult game
previous year we suffered a heavy defeat. The girls for the girls.
picked themselves back up and worked hard in training
All in all I was pleased with the girls’ efforts this season.
sessions to improve on certain areas. This was rewarded
They were always keen and positive, worked well
with a good run of victories, starting with Oswestry,
together as a team, and were a pleasure to work with.
followed by an even better game against Moreton Hall,
then a fantastic high-scoring match against Rydal and TC
finally almost as good a match against Bedstone. Squad: Biggs EV, Brooks AH, Edwards CA, Gatenby S,
We felt reasonably confident when we travelled to Khan SH, Lyttle BH, Norman K, Parry KLD, Ottaway GY.
Denstone as, although they had beaten us substantially
last year, the team had improved and it was working well.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results U14 North Shropshire Netball Tournament

v Stafford Grammar School W 18 - 9
v Oswestry School W 14 - 4
v Rydal Penrhos W 25 - 3
v Moreton Hall D 17 - 17
v Denstone College L 10 - 13
v Wolverhampton Grammar School L 10 - 39
The U14 Netball team had a outstanding season, with
the exception of a closely contested match with
Denstone College, and a large defeat without captain
Tara Goodwin against Wolverhampton Grammar School.
The girls showed much potential to be an excellent team,
and demonstrated so until their penultimate match. In
many games the opposition rarely had opportunities to
score, which allowed the girls to change positions and
develop their personal experiences. Strong victories
emerged against Stafford Grammar School, Oswestry
School and Rydal Penrhos. The draw against Moreton
Hall was the most enjoyable challenge, as juvenile
mistakes led to a considerable deficit, and a great
recovery in the second half.
Very few weaknesses were evident when the girls played
to their full potential, with much strength in attack and
defensive unit play. Yet this overturned in their final
match, with the captain being injured and unable to play.
The lack of confidence in the last match should be noted
for experience but the girls should concentrate on the
exceptional performance that they are capable in
producing when moving into their next netball season.
AP
Pool Matches
v Corbet School W 8-0
v Grove School W 6-1
v Lakelands School W 13 - 0
Semi-final
v Adcote School W 6-5
Final
v Moreton Hall W 6-4
Ellesmere gained the full 20 points in their round robin
matches in the U14 North Shropshire Tournament. The
girls dominated their games, working at pace and
displaying excellent passing and movement on court at
times. However, a rather dismal performance followed in
the semi-final, with players losing possession far too
easily. At full time Ellesmere and Adcote were tied 5 - 5,
and victory was determined only when Tara Goodwin
shot the final goal as the hooter sounded in extra time.
The girls were aware that they needed to regain their
prior superiority, as the final against Moreton Hall was
likely to be tough and closely contested. It was a game
of two halves; despite a 1 - 3 deficit at half time great
determination ensured an excellent comeback, with
Ellesmere finally reigning supreme.
AP
Squad: Andrews MJ, Bulanda JM, Goodwin TL,
Halstead ED, Martin-Jones AM, Palmer EE, Rogan AH,
Tow AM, Williams S.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results
similar story against Oswestry. A slow start left us a
v Stafford Grammar L 8 - 35
mountain to climb, and our dominant second half display
v Abbotts Bromley W 8-4
meant we were able to level the scores.Our best
v Prestfelde L 8-9 performance by far was a comprehensive victory over
v Oswestry D 7-7 Rydal, where the girls played fantastic netball and used
v Rydal Penrhos W 30 - 1 the set plays and moves they had worked on in training
v Denstone College L 5 - 15 sessions. Unfortunately we couldn’t carry our form into
v Wolverhampton Grammar School L 11 - 25 our last games of the season, losing to both Denstone
and Wolverhampton.
This was a mixed season for the U13s as so many
matches slipped away from them, mainly because of So the term was a bit disappointing, considering how
slow starts. hard the girls worked throughout the season. They were
always keen to play and to learn new skills. We must
The season began with a difficult fixture at Stafford learn to get into the game quicker in order to build a lead
Grammar and although we played better and scored rather than chase the game, but I am sure that with their
more goals we still lost to a strong team. We worked on level of commitment next season will be much more
our movement skills and passing, and put them into good successful for them. They are a great group of girls with
effect when we played Abbotts Bromley, against whom good team spirit and deserve a few wins to build their
the girls were pleased with their convincing win. confidence.
We then travelled to Prestfelde and had a very slow start, TC
which was a great shame because after half time the Squad: Broster MD, Burrows MJ, Hill AJ, MacLiam-
girls played some fantastic netball and were very unlucky Roberts AE, Neary RE, Stackhouse GL, Ward H,
to lose. Had they played like this in the first half the game Williams ED, Zembrzuski ZA.
would have been put out of reach of Prestfelde. It was a

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results U12 Shropshire Schools Netball

v Packwood Haugh W 7-3 Pool Matches
v Rydal Penrhos W 16 - 8 v Burton Borough School W 3 - 0
v Denstone College W 12 - 11 v Thomas Telford Academy W 6 - 0
v Oswestry School L 8 - 12 v Madeley Academy W 7 - 1
v Prestfelde Bs L 5-8 v Idsall School L 2 - 4
v Abbots Bromley L 5-8
Semi-final
v Wolverhampton Grammar School L 36 - 3
v The Priory School L 1-9
The U12 Netball team had a reasonably successful
season, winning matches against Packwood Haugh, Regardless of the absence of shooters Beth Hulme and
Rydal Penrhos and Denstone College. Unfortunately Taylor Arnold, Ellesmere proved to be one of the
they lost four games, with the majority being closely strongest teams in their tournament pool. Mia Foster and
contested. Indeed, basic errors were evident at times, Lottie Hulme helped the U12 team win several matches
yet the girls fought well to diminish the deficit against and did well to play against people who are in the year
Oswestry School, Presfelde Bs and Abbotts Bromley. A above them.
heavy defeat against a very experienced Wolverhampton As the day progressed, so did the girls enjoyment and
Grammar team finished the season, yet the girls should optimism. Ellesmere started strong in all matches, with
not be too disheartened and focus on their successful particularly good wins against Thomas Telford and
development across the season. Madely Academies. However, a strong start against
AP Idsall was overturned in the second half, resulting in a
disapointing loss. Nevertheless, having gained 16 points,
Ellesmere faced The Priory School in the semi-finals,
though they unfortunately suffered a heavy defeat.
Nevertheless they gained much experience and
satisfaction from the day.
AP
Squad: Arnold TR, Collard-Underwood A, Hulme ES,
Latham AK, Leeming KE, Martin-Jones KE, Walker M.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
U11 Summary of Results
v The Firs, Chester
v Packwood Haugh U11Bs
v Moreton Hall
v The Firs, Chester
The U11 pupils are a competitive bunch and seem to
enjoy all the sports they participate in. Although at the
this age group the main aim is about participation and
enjoyment, it was clear from the start of the season this
team wanted to perform well in matches.
The first match against the Firs was a good performance,
but the girls unfortunately lost 7 - 10 due to a lack of
team practice. Slightly disappointed
with the first result, they showed
much enthusiasm in practices and
worked hard to develop their team
tactics during training sessions.
They performed very well against
Packwood and Moreton Hall, and
must be commended in particular
for their mature attitude against
Packwood, where they
unfortunately found themselves
without a coach for some of the
fixture. They organised themselves
very well and were a credit to
Ellesmere College.
The last game was a return match
against The Firs and the girls were
determined to beat them this time.
This game was probably one of the
best U11 matches I have seen -
both teams displaying some good
netball skills and game play. The
scoreline was probably the best
outcome as both teams deserved
to win.
The highlight of the season was our
U11 Tournament. It was a very
enjoyable day, and finally we beat The Firs, but lost out
to Shrewsbury High School and Old Hall to finish fourth.
L 7 - 10
This season has been a good one and it has definitely
W 15 - 9 been a developmental one for next year. The girls have
W 10 - 5 performed very well and have been a joy to coach. Good
D 14 - 14 luck as U12s.
HLD
Squad: Dutton SM, Foster MN, Hulme CR, Hulme RC,
Lindop GE, Moore KE, Mundell LH, Shield E,
Williams TJ.
U10 Summary of Results
v The Firs, Chester W 4 - 3
v Packwood Haugh W 5 - 1
v Moreton Hall D 5 - 5
v The Firs, Chester L 9 - 13
The U10 team approached the
season with a vast amount of
determination and willingness to
master new skills. Their passing and
positional play improved greatly over
the course of the term. They
demonstrated great athleticism in all
areas of the court. The team enjoyed
playing against The Firs, Moreton
Hall and Packwood. The two games
against The Firs were very evenly
matched and the team won one and
lost one! They also recorded a 5-1
victory against Packwood. Well done
to all players.
LK
Squad: Bradley CH, Bulanda JL,
Davies SM, Davies EL, Edwards GI,
Shaw MJ, Stokes KAH, Walsh EC,
Williamson KAR.
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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Football

Season Overview 1st XV Summary of Results

This was a difficult football season. The weather was
often against us during the first half of term; we
eventually started playing towards the end of January
after several cancelled fixtures. This did not stop us
fielding eight teams from U11 to U18. Over a hundred
boys represented the school. Overall we won fifteen
matches, lost eleven and drew five. This means we won
or drew well over fifty percent of our total matches, a
great achievement.
The 1st XI had a tough term, playing some experienced
sides with a fairly young team. The 2nd XI proved a very
good team, winning over seventy-five percent of their
matches. The 3rd XI had their best season for a few
years, with some excellent results. The U15s proved to
be the best performing team this term - they did not lose
any of their matches! At U14 we also had a very good
team, who should go on to great things next year. Lower
School fielded U13, U12 and U11 teams. They have all
worked on improving their performance over the term
and the U13 side is looking good as they prepare to
move up to Senior School next year.
Overall it has been a successful term and the football is
as good as it has ever been at Ellesmere. Long may it
continue! On a final note a special mention and
congratulations should go to Fraser Murdoch in Year 9,
who was selected to play for his National Team,
Scotland, at his age group, very well done indeed!
ILR
v Shrewsbury 6th Form College W 5 - 4
v Bedstone College W 9 - 1
v Old Swinford Hospital D 3 - 3
v Denstone College L 1 - 5
v Stafford Grammar School D 2 - 2
v Sandbach L 1 - 2
As the above table shows this was a season where the
weather ruined early preparation, which is vital for us as
we play only one term of football. However we played
some good football and the only disappointing result was
the away game at Denstone on a pitch that resembled a
ploughed field.
Due to particularly cold weather and frozen pitches, the
match against Shrewsbury 6th Form College was our
first game of the season and the first time that the
coaches could have a good look at the abilities of the
boys selected. There were a number of newcomers and
Shrewsbury VI Form are always an organised side,
already fifteen weeks ahead in their season having
played the Autumn term. We were slow to start and were
lucky not to be immediately one down as their forward
broke through the middle to push his shot wide. We then
started to knock the ball around and created
opportunities. Good link-up between Smithers and
Dreyer led to their keeper making a smart save from
Smithers. Pressure was building and Dreyer turned in a
near post cross with a deft touch.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Soon afterwards he got his second, again linking with
Smithers to open up the back four and slot past the
oncoming keeper. We were in full control until a long
clearance by their keeper was not dealt with by our
central defenders and they made the score 2 - 1. We
replied almost immediately through Smithers but they
knew that there was a weakness down the middle and
scored another two goals. We replied with the goal of the
match. Leilich won the ball on the halfway line, wide out
on the left. He pushed it inside to Evans, who slid it into
the feet of Smithers. He played it back to Anderson who
spread it out to Cave on the right. His centre was
challenged for by Smithers in the air, causing the
defender to clear weakly to the edge of the box. Evans
hit the ball on the half volley so sweetly that the keeper
was rooted to the spot. The second half was a lot tighter
and we began to tire. They equalised from a free kick
which should have been dealt with and could have gone
ahead. However, good work from Leilich saw the ball
reach Dreyer in the box. He turned his two markers
inside out and then slid the ball into the net.
After a win at Shrewsbury but a poor defensive
performance, changes were made for the Bedstone
match. Cole remained to marshal a young back four.
Dobie moved to centre half while Chris Cieslik started at
right back and Jack Smith at left. Carlo Leilich started on
the left of midfield. Clutton and Maddock-James began
on the bench and were joined by James McCarthy
making his debut for the 1sts. We started brightly, moving
the ball and the physical opposition around the park.
Within eight minutes we had taken the lead. Cave put a
dangerous ball into the box between their keeper and the
retreating defence. In an attempt to clear the danger their
centre half-sliced his clearance into the net and we were
a goal up. The second goal was an excellent display of
one-touch counter-attack. Dobie won the ball back in our
half and slotted a pass through to Anderson who played
it to the on-rushing Evans. He played a one-two with
Smithers and burst into the box, closely tracked by his
opposite number. The defender prevented the first shot
from going in but Evans remained cool, finding space to
get his second shot away. Bedstone came back strongly
and capitalised on our only moment of poor play. They
worked hard to earn a corner on the right and while we
switched off they took it quickly, putting a good ball into
the middle. Their midfielder met it well to power it into the
net unchallenged. From then on we communicated much
better and regained our two-goal advantage before the
break. Anderson broke down the left and slid a perfect
ball across the 6-yard box for Dreyer to slide in and
convert on the far post. The second half was one-way
traffic. Clutton, Maddock-James and McCarthy replaced
Smith, Leilich and Cave. Excellent attacking play saw
Dreyer score a further three goals, Smithers two and
McCarthy one. A good way to end the half term.
We could not have had a worse start against Old
Swinford Hospital, a school which always provides
126
strong opposition. After ten minutes we were two goals
down. The first came through an unfortunate slip at just
the wrong time but the second came from not dealing
with the aerial ball. This proved to be the difference
between a hard-fought draw and what could have been a
good win. After the initial mistakes we settled well and
the back four looked solid. Anderson and Evans began to
control midfield and Maddock-James and Holt provided
problems in attack. Dreyer showed good feet and
Smithers was looking sharp with some nice touches and
good runs. Indeed it was he who first replied, latching on
to a through ball and lobbing the advancing keeper.
Before half time he had levelled the score, getting across
the defender to head in a Holt cross at the near post. We
started the second half strongly but could not put a
finishing touch to good build-up play. McCarthy replaced
Holt on the right and Leilich replaced Maddock James on
the left. For much of the half we dominated, but their
keeper was in good form, and they worked hard to
prevent us from taking the lead. They also looked
dangerous on the counter-attack and Booth pulled off a
good save to keep the scores level. With five minutes left
luck was against us as an initial shot was blocked by
Cole only for the ball to drop into the path of the
opposition striker within the box. He rifled his shot past
Booth and it looked as if it was all over. Smithers had
other ideas; from kick-off he spotted the keeper off his
line and placed an inch-perfect chip into the net from the
half-way line. The game was drawn and Smithers
collected his hat-trick.
I would like to thank the boys and all who were involved
with and supported the football teams this year. I would
also like to thank Mr G Owen for assisting with the
coaching and Mr H Orr for organizing the Football Dinner.
DJM
Squad: Anderson F (Captain), Booth C, Brewitt J, Cave
G, Cieslik C, Clutton C, Cole J, Cross A, Dapling J,
Dreyer T, Dobie J, Evans J, Holt L, Leilich C, Madaus T,
McCarthy J, Maddock-James J, Mattoccia R, Smith J,
Smithers J, Spavin B.
Goal scorers: Dreyer (7)
Evans (2)
Holt (1)
McCarthy (1)
Smithers (7).
Full Colours Half Colours
T Madaus C Cieslik
J Cole T Dobie
F Anderson
J Evans
C Clutton
T Dreyer

Summary of Results
v Shrewsbury Sixth Form (H) W 5 - 1
v Old Swinford Hospital W 5 - 3
v Denstone College W 2 - 0
v Rydal Penrhos 1st XI L 0 - 1
v Shrewsbury Sixth Form (A) D 0 - 0
The wintry weather meant that the 2nd XI spent much of
the first half of the Lent Term waiting to get their season
started. However once they were under way they never
looked back, with the highlights far outweighing the
disappointments in what was ultimately a triumph for
team spirit and work ethic over individual flair.
There is little doubt that Shrewsbury Sixth Form, the first
opponents of the campaign, travelled north in confident
mood, having recorded two comfortable victories the
previous year. However a fantastic display, capped by an
Angus Cross hat-trick, resulted in a comfortable victory,
and this was followed by a success against Old Swinford
Hospital which was more comfortable than the scoreline
suggested. Arguably the best performance of the season
arrived in the next fixture, when the team travelled to
Denstone to take on a big physical side on a pitch which
bore a close resemblance to a quagmire. However the
boys’ punishing fitness regime to which they had
resolutely adhered in training was duly rewarded, with
the home side being outfought and outthought as the
winning run was extended to three games.
Hopes were high by this point that the remaining two
fixtures could also be negotiated without defeat, and thus
the reverse at the hands of Rydal Penrhos was hugely
disappointing, with little consolation to be gained from
the fact that the boys played against the visitors’ 1st XI.
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The Ellesmerian 2010
The manner of the defeat was particularly hard to take,
with several good opportunities being spurned before a
late goal was conceded against the run of play. However
the team shrugged off this disappointment to record a
draw against Shrewsbury Sixth Form in the return fixture,
again battling with great determination on an afternoon
when a gale force wind sabotaged what might have been
an intriguing rematch.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the campaign was
the fact that those players who had made their debuts at
this level twelve months previously had clearly learned a
lot from the experience, and provided the backbone of
the team. They were joined by some excellent
youngsters who will be stalwarts of 2nd XI Football in the
future, and indeed some of them have the quality and the
tenacity to go higher than that. Nevertheless if I had to
choose the one detail which pleased Mr Paul and myself
most about this team, there would be a clear winner.
There have no doubt been times in the past when
Ellesmere College Football has been about the 1st XI,
who by definition will always take their football very
seriously, and then The Rest. However although this
group of lads did not all necessarily have the quality to
bridge that sizeable gap between 1st and 2nd XI
Football, their attitude was exemplary throughout the
term, regardless of the snow, torrential rain and howling
gales. They were thus a pleasure to work with, and I look
forward to working with some of them again in 2011.
LCB
Squad: Booth CJ, Brahim A, Brewitt JG, Cross AWJ,
Dapling JR, Dumitrescu V-G, Eeckelaers MA, Fisher JA,
Gwilt HWL, Haukohl N, Jackson WI, Johnson KL,
Kandola S, Kelly MS, McCarthy JMG, Martoccia RE,
Murges F, Owen AJ, Spaven B.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Summary of Results
v Shrewsbury Sixth Form College L 1 - 2
v Old Swinford Hospital W 3 - 0
v Rydal Penrhos W 2 - 0
v Shrewsbury Sixth Form College W 2 - 1
This season many of our games were cancelled by the
snowy conditions and it was not until the third week that
we eventually played. At this stage we were uncertain of
positions and, indeed, what our best team was. We
started as usual against the experienced Shrewsbury
VIth Form at home. We went behind against them but
came back strongly. Will Abell scored a cracking
equaliser but, just when we thought we were getting on
top, they scored against the run of play. Despite our best
efforts we could not force a draw.
Our next game saw us pitted against Old Swinford. They
were incredibly weak and we scored three quick goals as
well as hitting the post numerous times. Adam Brahim
scored twice. In the second half we made major changes
and did not score any more although they never caused
us any problems. We were gaining in confidence and
took Rydal apart comfortably 2 - 0. Again, we created
numerous chances.
Our last game saw a return fixture against Shrewsbury.
This time we went behind again to a soft goal but then cut
them apart with Kandola scoring twice. Early in the
128
second half Kandola was clean through and should have
put the game to bed, but a miss meant we played out the
second half looking for the final whistle when we should
have been dominating.
Frank Murges and Sho Sato captained the side. Both did
well. Sho is an old stager of Ellesmere football. He
would willingly play anywhere but was happy to play right
back. His last performance against Shrewsbury won him
the man of the match award. Frank is a solid midfielder,
skilful on the ball.
Other players were making their senior debuts. Cameron
Murdoch played a pivotal midfield role and all too soon
was snapped up by the 2nd XI, deservedly. Jack Foster
started off in defence and moved up to midfield. He gave
an enormous amount to the side and was always reliable
and strong in the tackle. Rob Lau was a fast, skilful right
winger with Vol Lim and Jayson Towers doing well on the
left. Adam Brahim was an excellent striker and caused
the opposition defences all sorts of problems. In defence
Will Jackson looks a good bet for higher honours.
It was an enjoyable if short season. Thanks go to all, and
particularly Rod Jones for his enthusiastic coaching.
HBO
Squad: Cooper ZPJ, Fashanu OG, Foster JR, Haukohl
N, Jackson W I, Lav KL, Lertkomolsuk W, Lim V, McIlraith
RJ, Murdoch CI, Stokes JME, Towers JA, Weigel PA.

Summary of Results
v Abbeygate W 3 - 2
v Denstone College W 3 - 0
v Stafford Grammar D 3 - 3
v Sandbach W 3 - 2
The football season kicked off with three consecutive
cancellations due to a rather deep layer of snow covering
the pitches. The team did well as they attempted training
sessions with considerable difficulty.
Eventually at the end of the first week in February we
were able to escape the boundaries of College and head
to Abbeygate. This turned out to be a well-fought game
between two evenly-matched teams. Abbeygate took the
lead from a long, high free kick that sailed over
everyone’s head and into the net. Colin Dickson scored
an excellent goal two minutes later, created by his pace
and perseverance. McCarthy then added a second on
the quarter hour to give us a 2 - 1 half-time lead. A
penalty two minutes after the break made it 2 - 2 and
Simpson scored the winner from a long, high free kick
that sailed over everyone’s head.
The Exeat weekend interrupted our winning streak of
one game but the team had not lost their impetus when
next they turned out. The opposition was Denstone
College and the game was won by three goals to nil
courtesy of McCarthy, Sesay and Simpson. Against a
weak opposition my question was: “Why was it not five or
six?”
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The Ellesmerian 2010
The team took control of the next game, against Stafford
Grammar, and established a comfortable 3 - 0 lead with
goals from Dickson and Jones. This potentially winning
margin was maintained until seven minutes from time
when two sloppy goals were conceded. By this time the
Stafford players, with their interest in the game
somewhat rekindled, were throwing everything at us. It
was a fraught finish capped by a last minute penalty that
left the result at 3- 3 and the team at loggerheads with
frustration.
Undaunted by the previous result the team went into their
final game against Sandbach with great confidence.
They took a 2 - 0 lead within ten minutes with goals from
Mitch Faulkner and Colin Dickson (who had scored in
every game he played in). Sandbach made it 2 - 1 and it
remained at this score for a lengthy period. Faulkner then
added a third late in the game. An own goal conceded
two minutes from time set the alarm bells ringing but this
time we held out to win 3 - 2.
The players should take pride in their performances as
this was a shortened but unbeaten season. It was a
pleasure for Mr Crawford and me to have been involved
with these players. We hope they will continue to enjoy
their football next season and in the years to come.
JHC
Squad: Bostock-Williams LW, Butt AC, Dapling SG,
Dickson C, Faulkner MJ, Jones DP, Latter JE, Lopez del
Hierro Valdes J, McCarthy AWJ, McIlraith SJ, Main AN,
Owen SL, Preston JEA, Sesay KA, Simpson DW.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Summary of Results
v Bedstone U15 W 3 - 2
v Denstone College W 4 - 0
v Stafford Grammar W 2 - 0
v Sandbach L 2 - 3
The first match of the term, after several cancellations
due to the weather, was against Bedstone. We played
very well against older opposition. We dominated in the
first half, scoring twice, and went in at the break two
goals up, thanks to Fraser Murdoch. The second half
saw us let them back into the game and we scored the
winner with minutes to go. This was a good test for us.
The second match was against Denstone, a team we
had not played before. We started very positively, some
good breaks by our forwards Joe Rogers and Ioan Parry-
Jones creating goal-scoring opportunities. Both our
attacking players were ably assisted by some good play
in the midfield. Jack Wear created problems for the
opposition with his long throw into the box. Rogers
eventually scored just before half time. So by half time
our defenders had not been tested and Peter von Hoven
in goal barely had to do any work. Within two minutes of
the start of the second half we were two goals up,
Rogers finishing magnificently to score his second. After
ten more minutes Rogers had completed his hat-trick
with another fine finish. Credit must also go to Jake
Rogan who made a goal-mouth save in the second half
to deny the opposition a goal. Fraser Murdoch capped a
fine performance with a goal.
Our third match this term was against Stafford Grammar
School. Within three minutes we were a goal up after a
near-perfect corner from Fraser Murdoch which James
Slater headed in. From then on it was pretty much one-
130
way traffic. One of the moments of the game came about
midway through the half when Bendel attempted to beat
the keeper from far out wide; he was unlucky, hitting the
crossbar. Just before the end of the half Murdoch
produced a peach of a shot from about twenty yards out
which sailed into the net. The second half was not quite
as entertaining as the first, but our defence was again
good; James Austin helped us keep the sheet clean with
a couple of good saves. This is probably the best U14
performance I have seen since being at the school and
we can only get better.
The last and toughest game of the term was against
Sandbach. Both teams started strongly, making a
contest of it. Unfortunately Sandbach broke through; the
ball was high in the air and three of our players all
somehow missed it, thus allowing Sandbach to pounce.
The second half saw us attack as much as possible and
this bold play was rewarded when Joe Rogers took a
rebounded ball to finish well in the bottom corner. Two
minutes later we scored again, a fine shot from Myles
Arnold beating their keeper. With only ten minutes of the
half to go a good cross from their right midfielder saw
them even the score. A draw would have been fair by
now but we conceded a penalty. We gave it our all for the
last few minutes and were unlucky in the end.
It has been a fantastic season of football and the players
have worked really hard to make this one of the best
teams that I have seen at U14 level. Thank you to Mr
Bongers for all of his hard work throughout the season.
ILR
Squad: Arnold MR, Austin JH, Bendel JM, Bernadette
A, Crow G, von Hoven PJ, Hughes NB, Leung CKY,
Parry-Jones I, Rogan JH, Rogers JSJW, Slater JAS,
Whitehouse HA, Whittaker JR.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summary of Results
Those players who contributed the most were awarded
v Packwood Haugh L 4 - 7 their colours for a high level of commitment to developing
v Abbeygate L 3 - 4 a ‘professional’ ethos to training sessions and matches.
v Denstone College W 3 - 1 Without the continual professional approach of these
v Stafford Grammar School D 1 - 1 particular players the team would not have achieved a
v Sandbach L 2 - 4 positive team spirit. William Doer provided leadership,
showing creative dribbling skills in attack. Oliver Gwilt
It has been very enjoyable coaching this team. They provided some excellent finishes at important times and
have been so willing to learn and develop their technical Carmen Edwards and Ben Williamson provided strength
skills. The objectives of the season were not only to win in the centre of midfield. David Powell and Joe Hughes
games but also to be competitive against those schools provided good positional sense in defence and Matthew
where Football is a two-term sport. Positive results were Kinney was very solid in goal.
achieved through a great deal of hard work on the GO
training pitch and listening to instructions with regard to
organisation in game situations. Their willingness to work Squad: Byrne TE, Doer WK, Edwards CC, Fairbanks
as a squad was always evident. The squad improved JK, Gwilt OWT, Hall EJ, Hughes JW, Kinney MP, Lay RJ,
throughout the season, becoming well-organised in Lyttle JA, McCormack GA, Powell DR, Roberts JA,
defence and creative in midfield. Spencer-Wolfe RM, Watkin GP, Williams HC, Williamson
BD, Wilson JD, Wynne RJ.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Summary of Results
v Packwood Haugh L 0 - 3
v Abbeygate L 0 - 1
v Stafford Grammar L 1 - 3
v Sandbach L 0 - 8
With almost no practice under our belts we took to the
field against a Packwood team that had already played
some football in the winter term. We started brightly and
Harry Williamson hit a post with an excellent effort from
distance. Unfortunately, we lost our shape in defence
when Packwood started to apply pressure and poor
marking allowed them to score three goals. However, we
looked far more secure after the interval, and better
possession in midfield enabled us to put them under
pressure at times. Overall, this was a very creditable
performance given the lack of preparation.
Some productive time on the training ground meant that
we faced Abbeygate with a much clearer idea about our
structure and style of play. This turned out to be a very
close contest against another side into its second term of
football. Our opponents scored the only goal with a
counter-attack midway through the first half, but we
should have won the game after setting up several
excellent chances.
In the lead-up to the next fixture a lot of productive time
was spent on the training ground focusing on positioning,
passing and set pieces. The boys also attended
lunchtime sessions in the sports hall, which enabled
them to develop their touch and ball control. Stafford
Grammar proved to be our toughest opponents so far
132
and were simply too strong for us, but the way we
competed showed that significant progress had been
achieved in a very short space of time. The game was
memorable for the outstanding performance of Seb
McCarthy and a peach of a goal by Ben Kirk.
When Sandbach scored before we had even touched the
ball it was clear that we were in for a long and extremely
difficult final match. With five academy players in the
side, they were simply way out of our league. Indeed, the
score might have got into double figures had it not been
for some excellent goalkeeping by Barnaby Franklin.
However, full credit must be given to the boys for working
right to the end and coming off the pitch with their heads
held high.
The U12 football season is all about laying foundations
for the future. There is sufficient potential in this squad to
predict that better times lie ahead, especially if two or
three new players come in over the next couple of years
to strengthen the side and add some pace. It was
extremely enjoyable working with this group of players
because they showed real commitment in practice
sessions and maintained a high standard of conduct in
all their matches. Finally, special thanks to Rod Jones for
his invaluable technical assistance on the training
ground.
RJP
Regular Players: Appleby JJ, Clarke JE, Davies SA,
Dutton GJ, Evans WCK, Franklin BOS, Gereke TPP, Kirk
BJ, Lee EW, Lever WEG, McCarthy SHG (Captain),
Pardoe A, Williamson HG, Willis PG.

Summary of Results
Finalists in U11 Ellesmere College 6-a-side Football
Tournament
This was altogether a very good competitive season.
Wins were achieved through good organisation, players
keeping to their positions, and sound basic passing and
tackling. Will Edwards (Captain) was very solid in goal,
providing an essential platform for the outfield players to
perform with confidence. Nathan Bulanda provided
coolness in defence with excellent support from George
Thorpe. Ross Faulkner, Tom Hill and Harry Pochin
provided plenty of energy in midfield and Sam Chapman
gave the team attacking options with his ability to control
a ball in tight situations.
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The Ellesmerian 2010
The team set out to be competitive in all matches. All
matches were won, apart from one, through a great deal
of hard work, good organisation and skill. All of the
squad contributed to developing a positive team spirit in
their attitude to training and matches. As a result, the
team progressed to the final of the school tournament
which was an excellent achievement.
The whole squad progressed nicely throughout the
season showing developing organisation and technical
skills. A very enjoyable season throughout.
GO
Squad: Bruce MA, Bulanda NE, Bulanda NJ, Chapman
SJ, Edwards W, Fashanu JO, Faulkner RM, Hill TP, Lloyd
GE, Morgan TW, Murtagh EM, Pochin HJ, Pochin JW,
Rothery WHJ, Thorpe GDA.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Boys’ Hockey

Newport, on the new astroturf at
Lilleshall National Sport Centre. With a
team comprising players with
experience, players with determination,
and those at a more novice level, the
going was always going to be tough.
However it was Ellesmere who took a
fully-deserved early lead; sticking to the
game plan of resolute and tireless
defence followed by swift and clinical
counter-attacking Ellesmere found the
back of the net in impressive style. This
is how it remained until the break. After
the interval Adams’ began to pile on
the pressure. To Ellesmere’s credit they
held out Adams’ for much of the second
half, but eventually Adams’ scored
enough goals to see them ease past
Ellesmere for a win.
Overall it was a successful term of
Hockey; interest grew throughout the
term and lots of positives were gained
from the fixtures we had. The future of
Boys’ Hockey looks more secure now
This season was one of reorganising and rebuilding with with the arrival of enthusiast Tom Hurst,
the aim of ensuring the survival of Boys’ Hockey at whose skills and hockey know-how will certainly continue
Ellesmere College. What started out as a strictly Senior to raise the popularity and profile of Boys’ Hockey at the
team fast grew in popularity, so much so we began to College.
allow younger boys into the squad. The initial focus was JJB
to develop a team whose skills would make them Squad: Berezkin G, Blake TR, Carr TD, Davydov V,
competitive and who could then go on and represent the Diamond FT, Evans EJ, von Hoven CG, Hughes HB,
College against other schools. With help from James Johnson CD, Johnson SB, Joule J, Killick AFS, Killick
Joule and Chris von Hoven (Upper Sixth boys), who SRC, Mapstone WJ, Michell RWK, Morley RJ, Probysh
brought in new drills and games for the players to do, the
A, Roberts OBL, Rogan EP, Schinzing LW, Walker JR,
sessions were kept lively and interesting and each player
Wenzel JB, plus Grudde VZ.
became more confident in their own abilities.
The 1st Team had two competitive
games, the first being against
Deeside Ramblers. Ellesmere
started brightly and the game was
very competitive. Excellent play
from James Joule, who worked
tirelessly in all positions on the field,
set up countless Ellesmere
chances. The lead changed hands
several times with Ellesmere
eventually losing 4 - 5.
Whilst this was happening Deeside
had brought a second team over
who played an Ellesmere
development side. This proved to be
valuable experience for those
players new to the game, learning
from our more experienced (and
generous) opponents.
Ellesmere’s second fixture came
against Adams’ Grammar School,

134

Sport - Cricket
Played 11 Won 6 Drawn 2 Lost 3 Abandoned 2
The year ended with a very impressive performance to
defeat Hurstpierpoint in the final match of the season,
before rain brought the Woodard Schools Festival to an
early finish. Hurstpierpoint won the toss and elected to
bat first on a wicket which looked as though it would help
the seam bowlers with the new ball. Opening the
bowling, fifteen-year-old Dewi Jones took the first three
wickets in just eleven deliveries to send Hurstpierpoint
reeling at 15-3, while Lloyd Hayes bowled a fiery first four
overs at the other end for just 8 runs to keep up the
pressure. They were never able to recover from this as
captain Jordan Evans (4-25) and Raunak Jain (3-18),
one of two Indian exchange students from the Scindia
School, skittled the visitors for just 87 runs. Jordan then
attacked the bowling to send a strong Hurspierpoint side
to an emphatic defeat by scoring 52* to complete the
victory in just fourteen overs for the loss of only one
wicket.
Dewi, one of the youngest players at the Festival, had
the distinction of taking the most wickets by any bowler
from the four teams taking part in the three-day Festival
at Ellesmere. Dewi is an exciting prospect as an opening
bowler to spearhead the Ellesmere attack in the future,
but he has also shown that he can score important runs
with the bat and should be looking to develop into an all-
rounder in the coming seasons.
135
The Ellesmerian 2010
This year we potentially had five good fast bowlers in our
attack, Jordan Evans, Raunak Jain, Lloyd Hayes, Sam
Phillips and Dewi Jones, any two of whom could take the
new ball. Injury and availability meant that they rarely
played together, but a glance at the averages shows that
they all took wickets economically and at a good rate per
ball bowled.
The seam bowlers also excelled as Newcastle were
bowled out for just 60, this time Sam Phillips (3-19)
combined with Raunak Jain (4-7). In reply James
Williams, our first exchange student from South Africa,
calmly scored 38* to ensure a comfortable win by eight
wickets. James enjoyed a successful season in England,
showing a good technique and a positive approach at the
crease, scoring 63 against the MCC and 64 against
Worksop, although he may have been disappointed not
to have scored a century. He deputised as an efficient
wicket-keeper in a season where four keepers were
used, and against Oswestry, when Jordan Evans was
absent, captained the side calmly in overseeing a victory
even though he himself struggled through the match with
a hand injury.
Raunak Jain was also disappointed not to have scored a
century, although he scored 73* in his first innings on
English soil only hours after arriving at Ellesmere and
 The Ellesmerian 2010
having to travel to an away match at Rydal. In the same
match Jordan Evans scored the only century of the
season to set up a dominating total of 300-6 in forty
overs. Overall Raunak enjoyed an excellent season,
producing good performances with both bat and ball and
ended up heading the batting averages and winning the
bowling prize as leading wicket-taker.
Lloyd Hayes produced his best bowling performance
against Wrekin College in one of the closest matches of
the season. Wrekin batted first, and after Lloyd had taken
two early wickets recovered from 24-2 to 171-3. One of
the disadvantages of having a number of bowlers in the
side was that Lloyd was not brought back into the attack
until the score had reached 140-3 in the thirtieth over, but
he made a significant breakthrough, dismissing their top-
scorer for 75 and immediately dismissing the new
batsman for a duck. Wrekin collapsed to 215-7, but a
lower-order fifty delayed the declaration and allowed
Wrekin to reach 264-8. Ellesmere were left what turned
out to be forty-eight overs to chase the target. After
losing an early wicket Jordan Evans (76) combined first
with James Williams (22) and then Ben Spaven (66*) to
take the score to 115-2 with twenty-two overs remaining.
However, Jordan was then caught trying to hit over the
top. Although Jain scored 34, the rest of the order were
unable to help Ben keep up with the required rate and we
had to settle for a draw.
Ben Spaven had been promoted to number four in this
match after showing promise in the earlier fixtures,
particularly his 59 against Adams Newport. Although
Ben did not score another 50, he did share a crucial
second-wicket partnership with Josh Maddock-James
against Oswestry, which saw off their opening bowlers
when the pitch was at its most difficult and allowed the
batsmen who followed (in particular Raunak Jain 64,
Cameron Murdoch 21 and Dewi Jones 25) to play with
freedom and set up a match-winning total of 196.
Although the captain Jordan Evans scored fewer runs
than in 2009 he remained the leading run scorer, making
a century in the victory against Rydal, 76 against Wrekin
and 52 not out to see his side reach the target against
Hurspierpoint. Unselfishly as captain he often bowled
himself at the most difficult stages of an innings and
consequently his economy rate suffered. In his final
match against Hurstpierpoint Jordan produced his best
bowling performance when he bowled with pace and
accuracy to remove their middle order coming on as first
change. Over his two years as captain at Ellesmere he
has set an excellent example to the younger players and
shown what can be achieved with a good technique and
application.
Matthew Macintosh lost his confidence and found it
harder to score runs this summer. Determined
application to his technique during the winter will
hopefully see him return to scoring heavily again next
year. James Joule, who had not played cricket at all last
year, volunteered in his final year to keep wicket. James
showed great determination and application both behind
the stumps and with the bat. He always made the
bowlers work hard to take his wicket and made a resolute
136
32 in the match against Whitchurch. Alex Owen had
been the leading wicket-taker in 2009 and he enjoyed a
spin-bowling coaching day at Lord’s with John Emburey
in March. Early in the season he did not have the
opportunity to bowl long spells as the seam bowlers
dominated, and he only came into his own with his off-
spin in the matches towards the end of term against the
Old Ellesmerians and Oswestry, where he took 3-9 to
wrap up the match. Unfortunately he was not available
for the Festival as the Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition
took place at the same time. He is a determined cricketer
and he has the ability to perform well with both bat and
ball in his final season next year.
There have been opportunities for a large squad to
experience First Eleven cricket this year and almost
everyone who has played for the eleven has produced an
encouraging performance. However, at this level a
cameo innings of 20 or 30 and a couple of wickets
followed by a loose delivery and a few wides is invariably
not sufficient to win matches, especially against the
stronger schools such as Worksop and Birkenhead.
Batsmen need to value their wickets and take the
opportunity to build partnerships and push on to larger
scores – even in a twenty-20 match at least one of the
top order needs to score 60 or 70. Increasingly in school
cricket this is a big hurdle for young players as there are
few opportunities in school matches at U14 or U15 level
to bat for long periods of time. Raunak Jain, James
Williams and Jordan Evans in particular have given the
younger players good examples of what it takes to
produce match-winning performances. They now need
to rise to the challenge next season and realise that to
produce these performances is as much a test of
character as it is of cricketing technique.
Unfortunately after the Wrekin match Chris Morrison
could not continue to umpire our matches due to illness.
He has been a very reliable and extremely good umpire
in recent seasons and has been well respected both by
our players and opponents alike. We hope that he may
be able to umpire for us again next season and were very
pleased to see him turn up to support us during the
Festival.
My thanks go to Ian Morris and his ground staff for their
dedicated work preparing grounds both for practice and
matches, and in particular for the excellent wickets
during the Festival; to Paul Rudd and his catering staff
for all the lunches and teas during the season and the
special meal they produced at the formal dinner during
the Festival; and in particular to Rod Jones for his
assistance and his coaching throughout the year, not just
with the First Eleven but with players throughout the
school as we aim to raise the standard of cricket at all
levels with the development of the Cricket Academy. He
will have been especially heartened to see William Doerr
and David Powell compile two century opening
partnerships for the U13 team, the first time at this age
level, as positive evidence for the future prospects of
College cricket.
PJH

Played 4 Won 1 Lost 3 Abandoned 1
This year the structure of the National Schools Twenty20
competition changed. Instead of being organised by
Rumsey Travel it is now organised by HMC schools, who
enlarged the competition so that the number of teams
taking part doubled from sixty to one hundred and twenty.
The country was divided into four areas and we were
entered into the North section of the draw, comprising
almost forty schools.
The first Regional round of the competition was again
hosted by Shrewsbury School. Under cloudy skies there
was a dramatic start to our first match against
Shrewsbury when the Shrewsbury captain played the
first ball of the match straight to Ben Spaven at mid-
wicket and set off for a single. Ben picked the ball up
cleanly and with a direct hit at the bowler’s end the
batsman was run out (0-1). In the next over Jordan
Evans dismissed the other opener as he skied a catch
trying to play a pull shot (4-2) and shortly afterwards
Shrewsbury were 15-3 when Sam Phillips had an lbw
appeal successfully upheld. After seven overs
Shrewsbury were only 31-3, but unfortunately with the
total on 32 a relatively straightforward catch was dropped
and the pair then went on to add 95 for the fourth wicket
and lead Shrewsbury to a comfortable 160–6. It was,
however, disappointing that while trying to exert pressure
on the batting side no less than thirteen wides were
bowled, even if the criteria for a wide is stricter in these
matches. In reply Joshua Maddock-James and Matthew
Macintosh added over 50 for the second wicket, but the
extra pace of the Shrewsbury opening bowlers and the
137
The Ellesmerian 2010
accuracy of their spin attack meant that we were always
well behind the required rate, and after fourteen overs
were only 61-1.
We approached the second match against Denstone,
whom we were playing for the first time in this
competition, with confidence and this time batted first.
Joshua Maddock-James was dismissed early on but
Lloyd Hayes (37) and Jordan Evans (56) added 64 in just
six overs. After eleven overs we were 95-2, but only 58
runs were scored from the final nine overs to set a target
of 154.
Denstone were always up with the rate, but at 113-2 off
eleven overs we were gifted a breakthrough when an
attempted reverse sweep failed and the batsman was
bowled through his legs. Lloyd Hayes then bowled a
wicket maiden over and Alex Owen followed up by
bowling the number three batsman who had made 63,
and suddenly Denstone were 116-5 with two new
batsmen at the crease. However, they reached their
target with no further loss of wickets as steady drizzle
made it increasingly difficult for bowlers and fielders
alike.
The final match against Wrekin was abandoned as the
rain which had threatened all day settled in. As expected
Shrewsbury progressed to the next round, winning all
three of their games and indeed went on to reach the
final at Lords which was won by Millfield.
PJH
 The Ellesmerian 2010
1st XI Cricket 2010 Results and Averages Woodard Festival cont.
Wednesday July 7th
Team (from): Hurstpierpoint 87 all out (Evans 4-25, Jain 3-18,
Evans JW*(captain), Hayes RL*, Jain R*, Williams J*, Jones 3-23)
Jones DP+, Macintosh MR+, Maddock-James JM+, Owen Ellesmere 88 – 1 (Evans 52*)
AJ+, Spaven B+ , Anderson F, Joule J, Lingard-Lane B,
Martoccia RE, Mittal P, Murdoch CI, Phillips SA, Owen SL Won by 9 wkts

* 1st XI colours + Half-colours Senior Batting Trophy (most runs)

Jordan Evans (354 runs)
Results
Senior Bowling Trophy (most runs)
Played 11 Won 6 Drawn 2 Lost 3 Abandoned 2
Raunak Jain (13 wkts)
(H) Sunday April 25th - 35 over match
House Matches
Whitchurch 139 – 8 (Macintosh 2-14, A Owen 2-17)
Senior Wakeman-Lambart
Ellesmere 140 – 7 (Joule 32)
Junior Talbot
Won by 3 wkts
(H) Wednesday April 28th - 30 over match
Batting Averages
Adams Newport 194 – 5 (Evans 2-60) Name Inns n.o. Runs h.s. 100 50 Average
Ellesmere 169 – 8 (Spaven 59) R Jain 7 1 318 73* 3 53.00
Lost by 25 runs J Williams 9 2 283 64 2 40.42
(H) Saturday May 8th v Birkenhead – abandoned rain J W Evans* 10 1 354 109 1 2 39.33
B. Spaven 8 3 163 66 2 32.60
(A) Saturday May 15th – 40 over match
R L Hayes 5 0 108 53 1 21.60
Ellesmere 300 – 6 (Evans 109, Jain 73*, Hayes 43)
J Joule 5 2 62 32 20.66
Rydal 109 – 8 (Hayes 3-18)
D P Jones 7 2 83 25 16.60
Won by 191 runs
A J Owen 6 3 36 17* 12.00
(H) Saturday May 22nd - declaration match C I Murdoch 10 2 90 21 11.25
Wrekin 264 – 8 dec (Hayes 5-56) S A Phillips 4 1 28 17 9.33
Ellesmere 238 – 8 (Evans 76, Spaven 66*, Jain 34) J M Maddock-James 5 0 44 24 8.80
Match drawn Also batted:
(A) Saturday June 12th – declaration match P Mittal 1*, 1*, 2 F Anderson 11, 10
Newcastle 60 all out (Jain 4-7, Phillips 3-19) S L Owen 13*, 22 R E Martoccia 15, 14*
Ellesmere 61 – 2 (Williams 38*) Bowling Averages
Won by 8 wkts
Name O M R W Best Average
(H) Friday June 25th v Gentlemen of Shropshire – Bowling
abandoned S L Owen 14 2 64 7 4-35 9.14
(A) Saturday June 26th - 35 over match R Jain 53 6 182 13 4-7 14.00
Ellesmere 210 – 7 (Jain 64) D P Jones 51.3 8 178 11 3-23 16.18
Oswestry 77 all out (A Owen 3-9) R L Hayes 53.1 7 184 11 5-56 16.72
Won by 133 runs B Lingard-Lane 21 1 68 4 1-7 17.00
S A Phillips 28 4 87 5 3-19 17.40
(H) Sunday June 27th – declaration match
J W Evans* 59.2 6 274 11 4-25 24.90
Old Ellesmerians 186 all out (Mittal 2-53)
A J Owen 47 2 200 8 3-9 25.00
Ellesmere 187 – 7 (Hayes 53, Jain 37)
P Mittal 46 4 193 4 2-53 48.25
Won by 3 wkts
Also bowled:
(H) Friday July 2nd – declaration match
MCC 241 – 6 dec (S Owen 4-35) S Kandola 6-2-15-1 B Spaven 14-2-78-1
Ellesmere 196 – 7 (Williams 63, Jain 35) M R Macintosh 5-0-40-2 J M Maddock-James 7-0-44-0
Match Drawn C I Murdoch 8-0-45-2 F Anderson 14-1-75-2
Catches
Woodard Festival at Ellesmere – 50 over matches
Williams 7
Monday July 5th Hayes, Jain, Jones, Spaven 4
Ellesmere 158 all out (Evans 25) S Owen 3
Bloxham 159 – 4 (Jones 2-11) Joule 2 + 1 stumped
Lost by 6 wkts Evans, Maddock-James, Murdoch, Phillips 2
A Owen, Morrison 1
Tuesday July 6th
Worksop 299 – 6 (Jones 2-61)
Ellesmere 200 – 7 (Williams 64, Jain 52)
Lost by 99 runs

138
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Twenty Over Matches Twenty-20 Averages

Played 4 Won 1 Lost 3 Abandoned 1 Batting (Qualification 3 innings)
Monday May 3rd Name Inns n.o. Runs h.s. 50 Average
Ellesmere 128 – 4 (Evans 69, Spaven 30) J W Evans* 4 0 199 69 3 49.75
Invitation XI 129 – 0 R L Hayes 4 1 93 55* 1 31.00
Lost by 10 wkts M R Macintosh 4 2 41 19 20.50
Wednesday May 5th B Spaven 4 0 59 30 14.75
National Twenty/20 at Shrewsbury School J Joule 3 1 17 10 8.50

Shrewsbury 162 – 6 (Phillips 2-13, Evans 2-20) Bowling (Qualification 2 wickets)

Ellesmere 90 – 4 (Maddock-James 34) Name O M R W BB Av Run rate
Lost by 72 runs P Mittal 4 0 24 2 2-24 12.00 6.00
Ellesmere 152 – 6 (Evans 56, Hayes 37) A Owen 9 0 64 4 3-1 16.00 7.11
Denstone 156 – 5 J M M-James 3 0 39 2 1-18 19.50 13.00
Lost by 5 wkts J W Evans* 11 0 70 3 2-20 23.33 6.36
R L Hayes 12 1 86 3 2-4 28.66 7.16
Ellesmere v Wrekin – abandoned rain
Friday June 18th
Ellesmere 176 – 4 (Evans 66, Hayes 55*, Williams 33)
Ravens 69 all out (A Owen 3-1)
Won by 107 runs

Cricketers Across the Year-Groups

From left to right: Sam Phillips (Lower 6th), Ed Bridge (Y9), Matthew Macintosh (Y11), Dewi Jones (Y10), David
Powell (Y8), Jordan Evans (Captain of the 1st XI), Milun Dhansingani (Y9), Sebastian McCarthy (Y7), Ben Oakley
(Y11) and Sam Owen (Y10)

139
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Played 6 Won 2 Lost 4 reduced Birkenhead to 151 off their thirty overs with Joel
The season started with a trip to local rivals Wrekin
College in a friendly game against their Third XI. After
winning the toss Ellesmere decided to bat which, as it
turned out, was the correct decision. Both openers got
amongst the runs quickly and both made 30s before their
dismissals. The pick of the batters however was Freddie
Anderson who amassed an impressive 71, including four
6s and nine 4s before being caught on the boundary
attempting another booming drive. Martoccia, Brereton
and Walters all chipped in with runs to put Ellesmere in a
commanding position on 199 after 25 overs. The Wrekin
reply was stout but they had little in the way of resistance
against an ‘in form’ Saajan Kandola who finished with
figures of 3-6. Wrekin managed to see out their twenty-
five overs but were able to score only 114 in reply.
Ellesmere’s second game was a reduced overs game
against King’s Chester 2nd XI on a very gloomy day.
Ellesmere again won the toss and chose to bat on a very
unpredictable wicket and, having come off for rain in a
very disrupted innings, managed to put on 162 in 25
overs; a little short of a par score. James Williams, our
South African friend, was outstanding with the bat just
falling short of his 50 (47). Only Adam Brahim and Ricky
Martoccia offered any runs in partnership with Williams
as the inning stuttered to a close. Chester, with the best
of the brightening conditions, chased down Ellesmere’s
total for the loss of only two wickets as they reached the
target with ten balls to spare. There were lots of technical
and tactical lessons to be learnt from this game but this
did not make the defeat any easier to take.
Following the defeat to King’s Chester Ellesmere took on
Birkenhead School on their immaculate and very
picturesque First Team pitch. Canny, tight bowling
140
Maddock-James the best of the them with 2-5 off just
one over! Ellesmere set about the task of knocking off
the runs in professional style with the opening
partnership of Hayes and Williams putting on 75 for the
first wicket before Hayes retired. Significant contributions
came from Anderson and Brereton, scoring 21 and 23
respectively. Ellesmere managed to reach the total in 16
overs to bring about a well-deserved and timely victory
for the team.
Buoyed by their recent victory over Birkenhead
Ellesmere took on Shrewsbury School’s 2nd XI at
Ellesmere. This was always going to be a tough
proposition and so it proved to be. Shrewsbury won the
toss and elected to bat and put on a total of 175 for 6 on
what was a fairly bowler-friendly wicket. In reply
Ellesmere never really got going as the Shrewsbury
bowlers took full advantage of the pitch and overhead
conditions. James Williams made a promising start,
putting on 28 which was backed up with 20 from Ben
Oakley and 29 from Martoccia, but then came a collapse
with only a flourish of 15 from Brahim to save the
blushes. Ellesmere had been given a tough test but it had
given fresh focus to the training.
Ellesmere’s next game was a home game against
Thomas Telford 1st XI who brought with them some very
experienced and useful players. Ellesmere batted first
and found making runs hard work, with James Williams
once again the top scorer with 42, and only Freddie
Anderson and James Joule making contributions
elsewhere in the line-up. When it came to defending this
total Ellesmere found the going even harder, bowling at
patient and skillful players who were able to wait and pick
the bad ball and dispatch to all corners of the ground. It

looked at one point, when Brereton found his way past
the guard of a couple of their better batsmen, that the
game could be on but Telford held firm and came away
from Ellesmere with the win.
Ellesmere’s final game came against Wrekin 2nds, which
was always going to be a stronger test than our last visit
to Wrekin at the beginning of the season. Injury and
unavailability meant that Ellesmere had to rely on an
extremely inexperienced, but no less determined, set of
players who were recruited at the last minute. However,
batting first, Ellesmere got off to a good start with
Freddie Anderson getting into the 40s, but he found
himself fast running out of partners and by the time the
tail had come in Ellesmere were scratching for whatever
runs would come their way. Paddy Fuller, Bogdan
Davydov, Vlad Dumitrescu and Rob Lau all got a bat as
Ellesmere manoeuvered their way to 95. What followed
next was a nearly a miracle. Chasing a meagre 95,
Wrekin slumped to 23-4 in reply thanks to some superb
Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2 Cancelled 5
This turned out to be a rather strange season in that we
played only five games out of a potential ten. A few
games were cancelled due to rain, one due to the
opposition not being able to raise a team, and one due to
one of England’s World Cup Football matches.
We started the season off playing a T20 game against a
very strong Lakelands team. The game was reduced to a
10-over game due to wet weather and without our two
141
The Ellesmerian 2010
swing bowling from Ollie Brereton who claimed a well
deserved hat-trick in the fourth over! Unfortunately
Ellesmere were not able to press home this start and
after a further eleven overs Wrekin had made it to the
total and won the game.
Overall it was a great season. Quite often Ellesmere
found their backs against the wall and had to dig deep.
James Williams and Freddie Anderson were excellent
with the bat all season and Ollie Brereton and Anderson,
again, asked serious questions of the opposition
batsmen with the ball. The stand-out part of the season,
however, which summed it all up, was when Ellesmere
2nd XI fielded a side with players of eight different
nationalities, representing the level of interest in the
game and the eagerness to take part.
JJB
Squad: Anderson F, Brahim A, Brereton OD, Davydov B,
Dumitrescu V-G, Fuller M-PT, Hayes RL, Holt LF, Joule J,
best players we struggled from the first ball. Only Luke
Taylor managed a decent score before being run out for
21 with us reaching a paltry 68-6. Lakelands batted
exceptionally well to pass our score, having lost only one
wicket and with five balls to spare. Our second game was
against Rydal where we won the toss and batted first.
Sam Owen (64 not out) batted well and some big hitting
from Dom Simpson (30) helped us reach a total of 138-
5 in twenty overs. In reply Rydal could only manage 95-
 The Ellesmerian 2010
6 with some excellent bowling from Alex Eaton (2-8) and
Jonny Davies (2-4) resulting in us winning by 43 runs.
Our next game was against Wrekin and this turned out to
be a rather disappointing game as they were very weak.
Dewi Jones (40), Louis Bostock-Williams (27) and Sam
Owen (54 not out) helped us reach a good total of 185-6
in twenty-five overs. This was always going to be a
challenging total for Wrekin and they were bowled out for
89. Alex Eaton (4-9) and Alex McCarthy (3-20) were our
best bowlers.
Travelling away to Newcastle always produces some
good cricket, and this game was no different. Newcastle
batted first and with the score on 44-2 and their two best
batsmen settling in, Dom Simpson took an absolute
blinder in the covers. This helped reduce them to 61 all
out. Once again Alex Eaton (3-6) was our best bowler
with good assistance from Mark McBrien (4-17) and Sam
Dapling (2-9). After losing a few quick wickets, Sam
Owen (35 not out) helped settle things and we ran out
comfortable winners by five wickets with five overs to
spare.
The final game of the season was very disappointing.
Playing against Shrewsbury U15B team, we made a
confident start with Sam Owen (20) and Dewi Jones (28)
putting on 44 for the second wicket. However, with their
departure we failed to set Shrewsbury a very challenging
score and only managed 96-9. We only managed to
score five runs off the last four overs and lost four
wickets. To win this match we were going to have to bowl
and field brilliantly, both of which we failed to do. We gave
away too many runs through misfields and our bowling
was not up to scratch. Jonny Davies (2-14) was our best
bowler, but did not have much back up. The fact that they
threw away a few wickets at the end gave us a slight
chance as they needed 10 runs off the last over to win.
Unfortunately we were unable to restrict them and we
lost by five wickets.
Sam Owen captained the side very well and always led
from the front. The team as a whole fielded reasonably
well during the season, but need to realise that every run
saved in the field means less runs needed when batting.
Our bowling was good, but as soon as we came under a
bit of pressure we started bowling short, and on slow
wickets this is not the answer. We relied slightly too much
on Sam Owen and Dewi Jones to score the runs and
each player needs to take a look at themselves and how
they could have batted if they were in that position again.
This ended up being an enjoyable season where the
players showed good commitment both at practices and
on the field and were always willing to learn.
CCC
Regular players: Butt A, Dewhirst M, Dapling S, Davies
J, Eaton A, Jones M, Latter J, Main A, McBrien M,
McCarthy A, Morris E, Owen S (Captain), Simpson D,
Taylor L.
U15B Cricket
Played 2 Won 1 Lost 1 had to settle for a 50% record. My thanks to all involved
The Ellesmere U15B team had a rather short season this
year; the weather was, for once, blameless, as various
potential oppositions (often with much larger pupil
142
numbers) failed to muster enough players to mount a
challenge. However, the squad remained in good heart
and regular practice led to steady improvement in the
quality of the cricket.
A fixture against Marches School kicked off the season,
captain Dominic Ryder winning the toss and electing to
bat. Despite the early loss of opener Andrew Main, the
Ellesmere team posted a respectable 114-6 in their
twenty overs, with Jonathon Davies contributing a rapid
27 not out.
The Marches team began brightly, and had raced to 38-
1 from only five overs when Sam Dapling dropped a ball
short. The batsman smote it mightily to square leg,
where it hit Josh Sambrook-Jones squarely in the midriff.
As he got up from the ground it became clear that the
catch had stuck and the disconsolate batsman trudged
off.
With two-thirds of the overs gone, Marches were just
ahead of the run rate and had six wickets in hand; in a
timely change, wrist-spinning captain Ryder took the ball
and turned the game. A ball which both moved and
bounced took a top edge and soared high to midwicket…
Aeons passed…glaciers rumbled…tectonic plates
shunted……Alex Millington clung onto the ball. This
proved a decisive event, and the game turned irrevocably
in favour of Ellesmere; the opposition finished eight runs
short at 106-9.
The following day a stiffer challenge beckoned:
Shrewsbury School. Ellesmere chose to field first this
time and no Shrewsbury player was allowed to dominate;
the largest contribution to their score being Extras
(including a disappointing 25 in byes). Wickets were
spread fairly evenly, with the top bowler being Mitch
Faulkner who took 2-15 in his four overs. Elliot Rogan
showed the way in the field with two catches and a run
out. The visitors’ innings closed on 137 all out.
The Ellesmere reply stuttered to 18-3 and everyone
feared the worst; however, this brought Ed Morris and
George Crow together for eight overs of mayhem. The
game was dragged back onto a more even keel as they
added 76 for the fourth wicket at a furious pace. It was a
great shame, but unsurprising given their enterprising
batting, that both departed in quick succession giving
high catches from daring shots.
Several tight overs made the game tight again, and
Ellesmere players perished as they tried to force the
pace. We had the unusual occurrence of a helmet-hit-
wicket, when Elliot Rogan played a short quick ball into
his headgear. The innings slowly faded away 18 runs
short; conceding fewer extras (almost always avoidable)
would have given Ellesmere the victory, and keeping a
swifter over rate would have taken away the pressure of
time which weighed heavily on the team (long
negotiations and field changes every other ball are not
needed!)
So, an all-too-brief season came to an end, and we all
and best wishes for next summer.
DWC

U14A XI Cricket
Played 6 Won 0 Lost 5 Drew 1 Cancelled 5
All matches were overs contests
This year’s U14 squad was an enthusiastic group of
cricketers, all of whom were keen to get into a match if
possible. Sadly a number of fixtures were lost due to the
weather, or through oppositions having to cancel, but an
internal match within the year-group was always a
meaningful option to supplement the amount of
competitive cricket that was played.
Overall the results column is not flattering, but the team
certainly possessed sufficient talent to suggest better
seasons lay ahead. The team would probably have
flourished more in timed matches, as few of our batsmen
were able to score quick runs without using risky shots.
We managed to score at 6 an over only once, with 5 an
over as the record for the whole season. Captain Fraser
Murdoch averaged 58.5 from his two matches, but injury
and National commitments kept him out of the team for
much of the season. Fraser has the full range of shots
and the ability to play them at the appropriate time. He
was sorely missed when not available. James Austin
was the only other batsman to achieve over 20 as an
average, at 21 over four matches. He is a powerful hitter
on the leg side, but he must develop an off-side game to
make himself more secure at the crease. George Crow
is an aggressive hitter who averaged 14, but his shot
selection can be wayward. When given responsibility as
captain he batted with more circumspection, thus
achieving his highest score of the season, whilst looking
a much better batsman. Other batsmen, such as Milun
Dhansinghani, Ioan Parry-Jones and Myles Arnold,
made promising starts, but too often fell to injudicious
shots when they tried to force the pace. James Whittaker
batted well in the final match, showing what can be
achieved if attack is tempered by good shot selection,
when he found himself promoted up the order.
In his two matches Fraser Murdoch took three wickets for
24 runs in ten overs. In the first match he was able to
bowl at pace, whilst he was limited to spin in the second.
Sadly most of the other bowlers were not able to be as
parsimonious. Opening bowler Milun Dhansinghani
bowled most overs in the season, at a creditable run rate
of 4 an over. He was beaten in the wickets tally by his
usual opening partner, Nelson Hughes, who achieved a
run rate of 5 an over. Edward Shelley always posed
problems with his leg-spin, developing a good
understanding with wicket-keeper Myles Arnold, who
was ever alert for a stumping. However it was the
inconsistency of the bowling that was the underlying
problem of the team this year. All were capable of a
good over, but too few could do so for a whole spell. This
meant that the batsmen were always under too much
pressure to score rapidly in most of our matches. The
group has a good attitude during training and I am sure
that they will work hard to improve in the future.
GH
Those that played: Arnold M, Austin J, Bendell J,
Bridge E, Crow G, Dhansinghani M, Hughes N, Lock O,
Murdoch F, Parker E, Parry-Jones I, Rogers J, Shelley E,
Suckling L, Wear J, Whittaker J.
143
The Ellesmerian 2010
U14B Cricket
The Summer Term opened with an ensemble of
cricketers assembling to show off their talents and gain
a place in the U14B team. Competition was fierce in the
nets as batters battled to save their wicket and stay in for
as long as possible – Ted Parker was particularly adept,
as he used cunning and guile to defy a battery of
bowlers; he was quickly spotted by Mr Hutchinson and
whisked away to the A Team’s nets. The competition to
take wickets grew through the weeks and the rattling
sound of wickets was quickly followed by a passionate
plea for the boy’s averages to be updated. The squad
was in fine fettle and chomping at the bit to challenge all
comers on Parry’s Field.
It was a scorching Saturday afternoon when Wrekin
College visited. Max Beardmore led the team as they set
about attacking the opening batsmen. Beardmore was
electric as he took wickets with his seventh and
thirteenth deliveries – Wrekin were shell-shocked at 9-2.
As the visiting number three settled his nerves,
Beardmore struck again and was backed up by Josh
Bendell and Cam Beswick who grabbed a wicket each –
Wrekin were 31-5. However, despite the attack being
spiced by the introduction of Ed Bridge and Hugo Bland
no more wickets fell until Cam Beswick achieved a run-
out on the penultimate ball, and by then Wrekin had
revived to achieve a total 126. Fuelled by a lovely tea, the
home side set about their innings in a tranquil manner.
Things looked promising as the openers familiarised
themselves with the pace of the attack - until the first
wicket fell and the innings collapsed. It took a
determined effort from Henry Collard-Underwood and
Harry Whitehouse to revive the attack. Whitehouse
managed 17 runs and Collard-Underwood carried his bat
as his support ran out. Ellesmere had amassed a total
of 39 and were soundly beaten.
In the weeks that followed, the intensity in training
continued and a number of players were able to
demonstrate that they could build an innings in
competitive matches with the As. John Leadbeater had
two substantial innings that showed he had the power
and finesse to score a number of boundaries. Josh
Bendell, always the strongest batsman in the nets,
scored 35 not out on the First Eleven wicket as the U14s
enjoyed the privilege of playing in such a glorious setting.
Subsequent matches were called off by our opponents
and the squad never got the opportunity to make amends
as a team. Despite this, many were able to build on their
progress in the nets as they were selected to represent
the As; it was very pleasing to see a number of them
move up and play well under Mr Hutchinson’s guidance.
DMR
Squad: Appleby N, Beal G, Beardmore M, Bendell J,
Beswick C, Bland H, Bridge E, Charmley J, Collard-
Underwood H, Holland S, von Hoven P, Hughes B,
Leadbetter J, Miller A, Parker T, Rickett H, Slater J,
Suckling L, Whitehouse H, Williams B.
 The Ellesmerian 2010

This particular squad of players improved a great deal David Powell and William Doerr; two superb catches by
through the season both as individuals and as a team, . William Doerr; two very good catches (at crucial
Matches that failed to secure a win were often against moments) by James Watson in the final game; a hat-trick
County representative sides. Remembering that the of wickets by Matthew Kinney; a superb spell of opening
squad contained a large contingent of Year 7s is a good bowling in one match by Matthew Kinney (the opposition
indication that cricket is continuing to improve in the feared his bowling for the rest of the match!); Seb
Lower School. The boys were prepared to work very McCarthy and Anthony Bailey (Year 7s) playing a match-
hard at the basic technical skills in batting, bowling and winning innings when the Senior players failed for once!
fielding. Also, the general organisation when fielding
improved significantly, with players accepting I would like to take this opportunity to say that it was most
responsibility for their own field placing and fielding enjoyable to coach a squad who were so keen to improve
performance. As a result of this hard work the boys were their cricket.
able to win a good number of games, including the end- GO
of-season match against a good touring side. The team Colours and Prizes were awarded to the following:
was creditably led by the Year 8 players including David
Powell (Captain, batsman and bowler), William Doerr Full Colours Half Colours
(Vice Captain, batsman and bowler), Matthew Kinney David Powell Sebastian McCarthy
(opening bowler) and Harry Williams (wicket keeper). William Doerr Jacob Robert
Also, other Year 8s made key positive contributions at Harry Williams Ben Williamson
various moments throughout the season, including Matthew Kinney
Jacob Roberts and Harry Williamson. All of the Year 7
players matured considerably, with Sebastian McCarthy Batting Prize: David Powell
producing some fine performances and Anthony Bailey Bowling Prize: Matthew Kinney
showing potential with the bat. It is important to note that Fielding Prize: William Doerr
two individuals, David Powell and William Doerr, have
had a very good season as an opening partnership. On Mini Bats (50 runs): David Powell - 3 occasions
two occasions they have made over 100 runs before the William Doerr - 2 occasions
first wicket of the innings has fallen.
Mini Balls (4 wickets): William Doerr - 2 occasions
This was a very enjoyable season with some memorable Matthew Kinney - 1 occasion
moments: two opening partnerships of over 100 by

144
 The Ellesmerian 2010
work on the training ground,
especially with regard to
raising the standard of
batting. Progress was already
evident in the second match
as Packwood were made to
work hard for their narrow
victory. With Seb McCarthy,
Harry Williamson, Patrick
Willis and Anthony Bailey
stepping down from the As, a
full-strength team travelled to
Newcastle-Under-Lyme and
secured a memorable victory
against strong opponents in
the final match of the season.
From the outset this group of
players showed terrific team
spirit and a willingness to
spend every available
opportunity in the nets to
develop their skills. Thomas
Sloan led by example in
matches and during training.
Will Evans was reliable
behind the stumps and as
correct a batsman as most
teams can hope for at this
level. Jonathan Bailey
developed into an excellent
change bowler and
U13 B Cricket consistently caused batsmen problems with his varied
Although the team failed to secure a win, it mounted a flight. Barnaby Franklin performed well with both bat and
reasonably competitive challenge in all three matches ball and will undoubtedly be missed next year.
against useful opposition. On occasions the bowling From a coaching point of view, this was a rewarding and
looked quite sharp, but never quite attained the level of enjoyable season thanks to the enthusiasm and
consistency required to bowl teams out. Despite being commitment shown by every player. A big thank you to all
given considerable attention in training the batting proved concerned!
to be somewhat brittle, and too many cheap wickets were
given away by attempting to hit across the line. This is a RJP
key area that several players will
need to address next season in
order to develop their game.
On a more positive note, there
were some commendable
performances. Captain George
McCormack emerged as a
competent player who led his
team with authority. Jamie
Thomas demonstrated good
batting technique, while James
Watson showed potential as an
all-rounder. George Watkin and
Ryen Spencer-Wolfe bowled
some testing deliveries at times.
Well done to all the players for
maintaining their excellent team
spirit and positive attitude
throughout the season.
RJP
U13 C Cricket
In essence, this was a
development side comprising
Year 7 players not selected for the
U13A Team. A crushing defeat to
Cheshire in the opening game
signalled the need for some hard

145
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - Shooting
It was a superb start to the season and the
College is extremely fortunate to have three
such highly experienced coaches with many
years of international match experience.
Our Michaelmas and Lent Term
programmes revolve around the National
U14 League and the British Schools Small
Bore League. By November our U16 team of
Richard Belcher, Ryan Williams, James
Slater and Guy Cooper were well on their
way to a win in the National Schools League.
Our U14 team of Richard Lay, James Slater,
Samantha Williams, Marcus Bruce, Hayden
Edge Roberts, Joanna Fawke, Katy
Leeming and George Crow were pushing
Ardvreck School all the way in the top
division of the National League.

New Coaches Tom Rylands (left) and David Gregory

This year started with my absence due to a back injury

but with new coaches David Gregory and Tom Rylands
acting as cover.
David Gregory, who recently retired from Michelin Tyre
Co, started shooting when he was at Highgate School. At
that stage he shot .22 rifle and .303 target rifle and was
a member of his school team. He continued at University,
UWIST in Cardiff, where he became Secretary of the
Rifle & Pistol Club and won UWIST Colours shooting
7.62mm target rifle. He was a member of the National
Rifle Association GB Black Powder Rifle Team between
1997 and 1999 and continues to support their activities
as Match Director for the NRA
Historic Arms Meeting held
each year in Bisley. Dave is the
originator and organiser of
“HBSA 1910” Short Range
Classic meeting which has
been held every June for Above: Matthew Steggles with another Personal
twenty years. He is an active Best, on his way to International status
member of Crewe Rifle and Left and below: Richard Belcher, one of our
Pistol Club.
Junior Internationals
Tom Rylands currently shoots
for Cheshire and England and
is also a member of the Great
Britain Squad preparing for
the World Long Range
Championships in 2011. He
lives in Whitchurch and worked
as Managing Director of a business in Malpas until
joining the College. In 2008 he toured the USA with
the England Team and this year was their Captain
when they competed in South Africa. He has also
been part of the British Team since 1988, touring
Canada, South Africa and Australia; and has
regularly represented England in the Home
Internationals at Bisley, including twice this year. He
has wide experience of team selection and has
been involved in coaching of all age groups since
1993; Great Britain Seniors, Great Britain Under
25s, Clubs and County shooters, Scout and Guide
groups.

146
 The Ellesmerian 2010
The development of new talent is
one of our main aims and there
is always a great supply of
promising new shooters. Left: Katie Leeming
September 2009 was no on target at Bromyard
exception, with Seniors such as Range
Alex Bueschler and Robert Lao
and Juniors such as Richard
Walsh, Hannah Miles, Emily
Roberts and Katy Leeming Below: James Slater
showing great promise. It is is awarded his prize
tremendously exciting to start the at the Hereford Open
Survive and Thrive shooting Meet
programme in Lower School
each year to see what shooting
gems are to be discovered. The
Survive and Thrive sessions
produced promising new
shooters in Thomas Gereke, Geoffrey Walsh, Anthony
Bailey, Will Evans and Luke Caldecott. Summer Term is
always our season for Open competitions, with matches
at Bromyard, Appleton and Bisley. Matthew Steggles in
his last term’s shooting performed superbly, recording
new personal bests at every match, resulting in his
invitation to join the Wales team for the Junior
International at Bisley. He has moved on to the
University of Glamorgan where his shooting will be
further developed by the Wales Team Coaches. Richard
Belcher and Ryan Williams also backed up their Junior
International status with wins at Appleton and Bromyard
respectively and will be joining Matthew at the Bisley
International Match. Strong performances were also
recorded by Marcus Bruce, Samantha Williams, Richard
Lay, Hannah Miles and Katy Leeming. At all the open
shoots this year the shooting team have been
complimented on their behaviour and their performance,
which are a credit to the pupils and the College.
House shooting competitions
Right: Samantha were difficult to organise in the
Williams (left) and Summer Term and a move
Richard Lay at back to the Lent Term is
indicated. Lower School and
the Worcester Upper School matches were
Open Meet runaway victories for Brownlow
House and Meynell House
Below: Coach respectively, both of which had
Jim Quinlan in the teams full of College team
College Indoor shooters.
range with Yuri Our annual expedition to the
Loychenko and National Championships at
Alice Tow Bisley was our largest to date
with sixteen pupils and four
staff. This year we catered for
ourselves and stayed in two
excellent huts on Bisley camp.
Our main base was the
Greshams School hut, which was ideal for our purposes.
Tom Rylands, in his twin roles as Coach and Chef,
performed admirably with able assistance from Dagmar
Lensing and David Gregory. The shooting was also
excellent with Bisley debutantes Caro and Lottie Hulme
showing flashes of the immense talent they both
possess. Guy Cooper in his last shoot with us performed
superbly to gain a place in the overall aggregate and
both Ryan Williams and Richard Belcher were selected
for the GB Schools Team in a shoulder-to-shoulder
match against Denmark. It was a wholly successful trip
and has set a standard for us to aspire to on future
occasions.
Jim Quinlan, Shooting Coach

147
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Summer Sports
Rounders
U14 and U15 Rounders
The U14 Rounders Team had a
short but impressive season. They
started well with an 11 - 7 win over
Oswestry School and then drew
10.5 - All with Moreton Hall, despite
only having eight players available.
Unfortunately the North Shropshire
Rounders Tournament was rained
off. The girls’ fielding was lively at
times, with excellent decision-
making and quick reactions to
stump players out and minimise any
scoring opportunities. Ellie Halstead
was agile on second base, and
important catches were evident
from Annie Rogan (6) and
Annabelle Martin-Jones (2).
Hannah Rogers consistently
bowled with much variety, making
batting awkward for the opposition.
Top batters included Olivia Jones
(4), Ellie Halstead (3.5), Annie
Rogan (3) and Annabelle Martin-
Jones (3).
The U15 Team also had a short
rounders season, and were
unfortunate to lose both matches.
Over-cautious batting was the for the Oswestry batters. Cat Jones, Hannah Ward and
cause of their 14 - 8 loss against Oswestry School, but Molly Broster’s catches were key in eliminating
the girls achieved a great comeback after being 9 - 1 Oswestry’s big hitters, and Ellie Williams was nimble on
down at half time. Despite only having eight players first and second base to stump out several players. Once
against Moreton Hall the game was decided by the last again Ellesmere demonstrated an outstanding batting
ball of the game. It was a very close game and despite it performance with Cat Jones (5) and Hannah Ward (4.5)
not going Ellesmere’s way the girls enjoyed it immensely. leading the way. Had all players been available against
Alex Brooks (6) and Sian Gatenby (4) were the top Denstone College the match would have been closely
batters in the team. However, many players contributed contested and very competitive. However, Ellesmere
by gaining several rounders each in both games. Alex were down to seven players and were subjected to a 26
Brooks, Ellie Hobbs and Kate Norman proved excellent - 12.5 defeat. Year 6 pupil, Lottie Hulme, gave an extra
fielders, feeding the ball directly into the appropriate hand and put on an outstanding performance to play with
posts to stump out batters. Critical catches were made and against pupils two years her senior. Despite the large
by Eve Davies, Alex Brooks, Kate Parry, Kate Norman loss, the scores were close at half time; 10 - 8 to
and Clara Edwards. Denstone College. However, the lack of players affected
Ellesmere’s second batting innings, as the side was all
U13 Rounders out half way through the innings.
All batters contributed to the high-scoring match against This team has been a great group to coach and a
Moreton Hall (17 - 10), with Ellie Williams, Annie Hill and pleasure to teach, with much positive encouragement
Molly Broster scoring well. The team scored 6.5 rounders and enthusiasm from all players. Many have progressed
in the first innings, and confidence grew following well from last year, with exceptional fielding and strong
faultless fielding. Excellent bowling from Hannah batting performances. The girls have been playing an
Gatenby brought much variation and difficulty for the advanced fielding system, which has brought much
Moreton batters, and exceptional catches by Molly strength and security to their performance.
Broster (5), Catriona Jones (1) and Rebecca Neary (1)
prevented opposing rounders from being scored. The The top batters were Catriona Jones (18), Ellie Williams
second batting innings was very strong with 10 rounders (14), Zoe Zembrzuski (8.5), Annie Hill (7.5), Rebecca
being scored. The high target was too much for Moreton Neary (6.5), Molly Broster (6) and Hannah Ward (6).
to chase. The team’s maturity showed during a Catches were taken by Molly Broster (11), Hannah Gatenby
comfortable win over Oswestry School. The girls’ (6), Catriona Jones (4), Rebecca Neary (3), Hannah Ward
intelligent play and supportive attitude was clearly (2), Ellie Williams (2) and Zoe Zembrzuski (1).
evident in their 22 - 8 victory. Ellesmere set a healthy
target of 10 to defend in the first innings, and Hannah AP
Gatenby once again delivered some very awkward balls

148
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Tilly Walker proving to be a first-
class opening batter. However,
the girls’ excitement caused
several errors during fielding,
allowing Moreton to win the
match.
A consistent batting performance
was evident against Oswestry
School, with the girls scoring 7 in
each innings. Once again Tilly
Walker was the top batter,
scoring 4, though she was
closely challenged by Jess
Martin-Jones on 3.5. Beth
Hulme, Tilly Walker and Anna
Collard-Underwood tried to keep
Oswestry’s score to a minimum
with great catches, but Oswestry
proved to be very strong in their
second innings, and Ellesmere
lost the match 14 - 10.
The final Match against
Denstone College was tough and
the girls appeared tired following
two previous sports-packed
days, i.e. North Shropshire
Rounders Tournament and
Sports Day. They lost 17.5 - 5, as
Ellesmere’s top batters were
U12 Rounders forced out early in both innings. Anna Collard-
The U12s were unfortunate to lose all matches, but Underwood was top batter, and Caro Hulme took an
proved their worth when they beat two of these teams outstanding diving catch at first base to give Ellesmere
whilst winning the North Shropshire Tournament. They some pride.
have also adopted an advanced fielding system, which
Overall, Tilly Walker was the U12 Team’s best batter,
they hope to develop further next year.
scoring an exceptional 21 rounders. She was followed by
Despite only having eight players available, Ellesmere Anna Collard-Underwood (7), Jess Martin-Jones (6),
narrowly lost by two rounders to Moreton Hall. Over- Katy Leeming (3.5) and Amy Latham (3.5), with
cautious batting and uncertainty gave Ellesmere a score everyone else contributing to the score with several
of only 2.5 rounders in their first batting innings. Despite rounders each. Two catches were taken by Anna
the low score the girls fielded well to keep Moreton’s Collard-Underwood, and Taylor Arnold, Beth Hulme, Tilly
score to a minimum, and Taylor Arnold and Anna Walker, Jess Martin-Jones and Caro Hulme took a catch
Collard-Underwood had important catches during the each.
game. Ellesmere’s second innings was much better, with AP

Penny Shield Golf 2010

The great weather was supported by a fine turn-out of
golfing talent from the school. Eight staff and eight boys
battled for the prestigious Penny Shield. The pairing looked
very even and the final results supported that, with most
pairs shooting in the 40s. However it was the pairing of Dr
Chatterjee and Seb, the youngest of the four McCarthys to
play, who claimed the victory with a very impressive 36. It is
believed that Seb is the youngest-ever winner of the Shield
and has several years ahead of him to defend the title.
1st Dr Chatterjee & Seb McCarthy
2nd = Dr Garah & Alex McCarthy
2nd = Mr Crawford & Nick Haukohl
3rd Mr McCarthy & Fabian Prinz
4th Mr Collins & James McCarthy
5th Mr Sampson & Patrick Weigel
6th = Mr Goodwin & Roberts Lau
6th = Mr Roberts & Ludwig Shinzing
Mr Morgan and Mr Cawcutt played without pupil partners. Seb McCarthy, youngest-ever winner of the Penny
Shield, with partner Dr Chatterjee

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Athletics
Senior Athletics
This year the school entered several Athletics events
with many pupils participating. As the term progressed,
so did the numbers of pupils representing the school.
The Shropshire AA Championships was a great
experience, particularly for the younger pupils, as many
took part for their first time and gained much success.
Representation from Year 9 upwards was fairly limited,
but Ellie Halstead won all her 100m heats, and the final
with a sound time of 13.9 seconds, and Hannah
Cumpston achieved second place in the Senior Girls’
High Jump event.
There were talented pupils entered into the Shropshire
Schools Track and Field Championships, but sudden
illness and injuries prevented several from participating.
Hannah Cumpston achieved third place in the High
Jump, and George Beal was the only College pupil to go
on to represent Shropshire in the Midlands
Championships, throwing 10.04m in the Shot Put.
Forty-seven pupils represented the school in various
events in the North Shropshire Schools Athletics
Championships. It was great to see pupils volunteer for
events whatever their ability, to ensure that Ellesmere
gained as many points as possible. The highlight of the
day was when Ellie Halstead broke the North Shropshire
100m record, completing it in 13.19 seconds. Other
outstanding performances came from Clara Edwards
(1st in High Jump, 2nd in Shot); Annie Rogan (3rd in
800m); Colin Dickson (1st in 100m - 11.10s, and 1st in
Shot - 13.06m); James Preston (1st and a personal best
in Long Jump - 5.05m, and 2nd in 200m) and Sam Owen
(1st in 800m). The relay teams also did well in their heats
with both Senior Boys and Girls gaining second place.
The girls achieved a well-deserved third place, but an
unfortunate error occurred during the boys’ race, which
left them in last place. Other pupils, icluding Joe Rogers,
Lesley Gebhard and Olivia Jones narrowly missed out on
medal positions but did well to contribute to the College’s
accumulation of a decent points total.
AP
Above: Ellie Halstead winning
the 100m
Left: George Beal, who
represented Shropshire in the
Shot Put
150
Lower School Athletics
Lower School pupils practising their starts
This year a good number of Lower School pupils entered
Athletics events, notably the Shropshire AA
Championships, with many pupils participating in
competitive athletics for the first time. Lunchtime
practices have been open to all pupils, and several have
attended and developed their skills to a good standard.
Year 4 pupil Rosie Holland achieved second place in the
Cricket Ball Throw, and Hector Pardoe only just missed
out on third place in the 600m in spite of competing
against pupils two years older. Year 5 pupils Huw and Will
Edwards gained awards, with Huw achieving third place
in the 60m sprint, and Will reigning supreme in the 600m
with an outstanding time of 2.02.7mins, another first
place in the Long Jump (3.57m) and second place in the
Cricket Ball Throw. In Years 7 and 8 Beth Hulme came
third in the Discus, narrowly beating her younger sister,
Lottie Hulme, who came fourth, and James Wilson just
missed out on a medal in the Long Jump.
Once again many Year 8 pupils participated in the
Shropshire Schools Track and Field Championships.
Naomi Craig came second in her 800m heat with an
excellent time of 2.35.6mins – only 14 seconds off the
Shropshire record. However, despite putting in another
great performance in the final, she gained fifth place.
Twenty pupils from Years 7 and 8 represented the school
in the North Shropshire Schools Athletics
Championships. Highlights of the day included Carmen
Edwards (3rd in the High Jump), James Wilson (3rd in
the 1500m), Molly Broster (3rd in 200m), Ryen Spencer-
Wolfe (2nd in Javelin), James Watson (2nd in Shot), Jess
Martin-Jones (2nd in 100m) and Zoe Zembrzuski (1st in
800m). All sprinters qualified for their final, and it was
great to see the pupils enjoy themselves and have a go
at a variety of events. Despite not gaining a medal
George Watkin had a great day, gaining personal bests
in each event. Similarly, well done to Ryen Spencer-
Wolfe who has never run the hurdles before, yet he came
second in his heat and fourth overall. The Junior Girls’
Relay Team gained third place in their heat, and then
fourth in the final. The Junior Boys’ Relay Team gained
second place in their heat, and then third in the final.
Everyone’s placement counts within this Championship,
so well done for each pupil trying their best.
AP
 The Ellesmerian 2010

School Tennis

U15 and U14 School Tennis

A mixture of Academy Players and School Players, the U14 and U15 teams have had an excellent Tennis term, having
won most of their matches. The U15s had an unbeaten season and the U14s lost only one match. Combining the
Academy players with the school players has strengthened our teams and increased the players’ experience of match
play. The term has seen good victories against Moreton Hall, Denstone College and Oswestry School.
The U15s won the the North Shropshire Doubles Tournament and Kate Norman also represented North Shropshire
in the U15 Singles Tournament and reached the quarter finals but just narrowly lost to the eventual winner.
On Wednesday afternoons the U14 and U15 squad visited the Welti Tennis Centre with Mrs Davenport and Mrs
Griffiths.This proved to be useful as we were able to use their extensive facilities. The girls were a delight to coach
and we all had a lot of fun mixed in with hard work.
Squad: (Girls) Andrews M, Brooks A, Carr S, Clarke HL, Goodwin T, Jones H, Jones O, Halstead E, Morris A,
Norman K, Ottaway G, Parry K, Sheldon S, Sutcliffe E, Venner M (Boys) Arnold MR, Beswick CJ, Faulkner MJ,
Freutzen GG, Ziegenhain LV.

Lower School Tennis

U13 Tennis
This was another promising team with
good individual players backed up by the
experience of some of the Academy
players of Catriona Jones and Chloe
Hughes. Match results were excellent with
good wins over Oswestry School and
Rydal Penrhos. Unfortunately, the U13
North Shropshire Tennis Tournament was
cancelled but Georgia Edwards
represented North Shropshire in the U13
Shropshire Singles Tournament and
reached the quarter-finals.
Squad: (Girls) Burrows MJ, Edwards GB,
Jackson SA, Jones CR, Chloe Hughes,
Pritchard SE, Williams ED (Boys) Gwilt
OWT, Hall EJ, Powell DR.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

U12 School Tennis

The U12s played some good tennis and
developed as the term progressed. There were
good wins against Rydal Penrhos and Oswestry
School. Anna Collard Underwood and Tilly Walker
represented North Shropshire in the U13
Shropshire Singles Tournament and Tilly reached
the quarter-finals.
HLD
Squad: Anna Collard Underwood, Tilly Walker,
Taylor Arnold, Jess Martin Jones, Jessica
Oldham, Amy Latham, Sophie Austin

U11 and U10 Tennis

All the girls from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
represented Ellesmere in matches against
Moreton Hall, competing at their own
respective standard of play. It was an
enjoyable afternoon of tennis with all girls
able to play, and the final score was
Ellesmere 206 Points to Moreton Hall’s 150
points.
HLD

152

The Reffell Open Tennis Tournament
The Ellesmerian 2010
But there was one out there. ‘She Who Must Be Obeyed’;
‘The Deadly Assassin’;’The Smiler’ - call her what you
will (and many do) but Mrs Owen meant business. Lloyd
Hayes, under orders, talking tactics, out-staring the
opponents, was Owen’s ideal partner. They cruised the
first round, moved up a gear in the quarters, breezed
through the semis. Now, back to Becky! Owen/Hayes
faced Becky and Fredi. The romantics among us urged
Becky and Fredi on. Mrs. Fredi sipped heavily on the
Pimms, Becky’s supporters became more vocal, Fredi

Once again thirty-two mixed pairs, staff and pupils

(except in one case), men and women assembled on
court on the last night of the Summer Term for the ninth
year in a row.
Head Boy Freddie Herzog nervously paired up with Mrs
Hoy (when she finally arrived!) whilst Head Girl, Becky
Britton, once paired up with a no hoper, suddenly found
Well, he looks the part..... Mr Macintosh and Zoe Evans
herself partnering Boys’ Tennis Captain Fredi
Steinebach, on his last night in school and with maternal
support, fortunately not like Murray’s maternal support!
Becky started laughing at approximately 5.45 and did not grunted louder and louder. But when the cat’s at the
stop until 10pm-ish by which time she had confounded all cream, there’s no stopping her. Owen and Hayes, without
her critics and sceptics by appearing in the final! But one drop of compassion in their cold blood, despatched
more of that later. Becky and Fredi to history. So Sharon Owen won, her
second triumph, and Lloyd Hayes won like his brother
The first round sees each match played for 24 points and Rhys did two years ago.
after eight rounds the top four of each league go into the
knock-out stages.There were some interesting pairings. Next year sees the 10th Open. We hope to see some
For the first time we had two sets of twins playing, the former stars return as well, of course, as the usual fish
Evans girls and the Lieberoth-Leden girls. Zoe Evans, and chips, Pimms and cakes!
obviously being punished for sins in a former life was HBO
paired with Mr MacIntosh. Don’t worry, Zoe, next year will
be better. Mr MacIntosh basks in his
former glory as a past finalist.
However, like England’s World Cup
win in 1966, his glory seems to have
been a one-off. He has never
reached the dizzy heights again,
despite reassurances from him,
usually sometime in mid-January,
that this will be his year: “Just give
me a good partner.”
Dr Chatterjee was all smiles too
when he realised he had been picked
with Christina Lieberoth-Leden and
so was Mr Cowley, partnering
Patricia. Other stars faded. What
happened to Mr Owen? Mr Morgan?
Somewhere out on court, their brief
lights were extinguished. Why was
the tower of strength, AKA Lawrence
Walters, playing as if he had never
heard of tennis before? Why couldn’t
Mrs Davenport tame Will Goodwin?
Off the pairs would go in each round,
ever hopeful, only to return ten
minutes later, shaking their heads in
disbelief: “Can I really play that Finalists (from left): Fredi Steinebach, Becky Britton, Lloyd Hayes and She
badly?” Who Must Be Obeyed, Mrs Sharon Owen

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Sport - House Competitions

Senior School House Rugby Senior House Football
The competition was played in near-perfect conditions, All four Houses fielded a Senior team, made up of pupils
which allowed the following game of 10-a-side to in Years 11 to 13, and a Junior team of Years 9 and 10
function. There were some fantastic individual and team pupils.
skills on show and the spirit and determination of the
sides should be commended. This year’s matches were Results
perhaps exemplified by the thrilling Senior final played Seniors
out between Woodard and Wakeman-Lambart. The lead
in the match swung from one side to the other early on, 1st Wakeman-Lambart 9 pts
then Woodard took control and pulled out a small lead. In 2nd Talbot 6 pts
the second half Wakeman-Lambart rallied and drew the 3rd Meynell 3 pts
score-line to 17 - 22 with two minutes remaining. 4th Woodard 0 pts
Woodard attacked but gave up possession, allowing
George Hymes to attack the line with only one man to Juniors
beat. There was a fantastic chase from Andy Coubrough, 1st Meynell 7 pts
who finally caught Hymes only metres from the line and
2nd Woodard 5 pts
thus saved the match for Woodard.
3rd Wakeman-Lambart 4 pts
Results 4th Talbot 0 pts
Seniors
1st Woodard Lower School House Football
(Woodard 22 - Wakeman-Lambart 17) Each House fielded an A and a B team. The competition
2nd Wakeman-Lambart was very tight and it all came down to goal difference at
3rd Meynell the end. In the A competition each team won and lost a
match and all three had the same goals for and against.
4th Talbot However, the B competition was won by Heywood as
Inters they had a goal in hand over Phillips. Thus Heywood
1st Meynell won overall.
(Meynell 24 – Wakeman-Lambart 7) Result
2nd Wakeman-Lambart 1st Heywood 7 pts
3rd Woodard 2nd Phillips 7 pts
4th Talbot 3rd Brownlow 3 pts
Juniors Inter-House 6-a-side Football
1st Meynell
In the Junior competition Talbot dominated from the start,
(Meynell 41 – Talbot 15) winning all three games and conceding only two goals
2nd Talbot throughout the competition. Meynell battled to keep in
3rd Woodard touch but the strong Talbot team proved difficult to beat.
In the Senior matches the result was decided in the last
4th Wakeman-Lambart round, with three possible winners. Wakeman-Lambart
Lower School House Rugby made sure of first place by winning their match
convincingly against Meynell, who had to settle for third
In what were very difficult, windy conditions the House place behind Talbot on goal difference.
Rugby was played out in great fashion. All the matches
were played with great spirit and the score-lines reflected The standard of football in this event is rising each year
how competitive all the teams were. In the first match and it was good to see the commitment and
Heywood defeated Phillips 12 - 5. At half time it was sportsmanship from the teams.
very close, with Phillips claiming a late try, but Heywood Results
rallied in the second half to claim the victory. Phillips
went one better in their second game against Brownlow, Senior Boys
winning 12 - 0. Unfortunately Brownlow had to face the 1st Wakeman-Lambart 9 pts
dominant Heywood in the last encounter, but put up an 2nd Talbot 3 pts
excellent fight. They lost 14 - 0. Heywood ended up
Champions but had been pushed all the way by the other 3rd Meynell 3 pts
two Houses. 4th Woodard 3 pts
Results Junior Boys
1st Heywood 1st Talbot 9 pts
2nd Phillips 2nd Meynell 6 pts
3rd Brownlow 3rd Wakeman-Lambart 3 pts
4th Woodard 0 pts

154
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Senior House Netball Inter-House Basketball 2010
Again this year, Houses entered A and B teams into the Congratulations to everyone who took part in the
House Netball competition and the teams could consist Basketball this year. The competition in both boys’ age-
of girls of any year. It proved to be a good competition groups was extremely close. There was some excellent
with the standard in the A competition impressively high. basketball played, but the Senior side from Woodard
The overall result had to be decided on goal difference, excelled and showed great poise when shooting.
with Meynell just pipping Wakeman-Lambart for the title.
Results
Results
Senior Boys
A Teams
1st Woodard
1st Wakeman-Lambart 2nd Meynell
2nd Meynell 3rd Wakeman-Lambart
3rd Woodard 4th Talbot
4th Talbot
Junior Boys
B Teams
1st Talbot
1st Meynell 2nd Woodard
2nd Wakeman-Lambart 3rd Meynell
3rd Talbot 4th Wakeman-Lambart
4th Woodard
Junior Girls
Overall Results
1st Wakeman-Lambart
1st Meynell 2nd Meynell (on shoot-out)
2nd Wakeman-Lambart 3rd Woodard (on shoot-out)
3rd Talbot Talbot - no team
4th Woodard
There was no Senior Girls’ event due to Netball matches.
Lower School House Netball Senior School House Cross Country
U13 Competition Results
The U13 competition was highly competitive, with all of
the matches being closely fought. Heywood did emerge Juniors
the winners, but only just, by beating Phillips by just two 1st Talbot 414 pts
goals. All teams should be proud of their performances. 2nd Woodard
Results 3rd Wakeman-Lambart 618 pts
4th Meynell 658 pts
1st Heywood
2nd Brownlow Individual winners
3rd Phillips Junior Boy Sam Owen (Talbot)
Junior Girl Annie Rogan (Woodard)
U11 Competition
Inters
This year’s competition was dominated by Heywood who 1st Meynell 424 pts
won all of their matches quite convincingly. Nevertheless
it was an enjoyable afternoon for all involved. 2nd Wakeman-Lambart 466 pts
3rd Woodard 578 pts
Results
4th Talbot 704 pts
1st Heywood
Individual winners
2nd Brownlow
Inters Boy George Cave (Meynell)
3rd Phillips
Inters Girl Ella Walker (Wakeman-Lambart)
House Volleyball 2010 Seniors
This year’s event was very close, with the top two teams 1st Talbot 413 pts
drawing on points. Meynell won the event overall, as in 2nd Wakeman-Lambart 473 pts
the encounter between them and Talbot they won two 3rd Woodard 489 pts
sets to one. Wakeman-Lambart managed to secure third
place having drawn with Woodard on points but beating 4th Meynell 589 pts
them in the round robin stages. Individual winners
Results Senior Boy Moritz Verleger (Woodard)
Senior Girl Vivian Grudde (Wakeman-Lambart)
1st Meynell 3, 4, 1
2nd Talbot 1, 4, 3 Overall
3rd Wakeman-Lambart 1, 0, 3 1st Talbot
4th Woodard 3, 0, 1 2nd Wakeman-Lambart
3rd Woodard
4th Meynell

155
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Merit Cup Gwilt, 27, and Teddy Hall, 27, with Tom Sloan also
(awarded to House with most runners taking part) posting a respectable 30.
1st Wakeman-Lambart Results
2nd Meynell
1st Brownlow 84 pts
3rd Woodard
2nd Phillips 120 pts
4th Talbot
3rd Heywood 161 pts
Boys’ House Hockey
Lower School Golf Open June 2010
Despite struggling to find fixtures for the Senior side
during the Lent term, the House Hockey provided an This year we were blessed with excellent conditions for
excellent finish to the term. There were some fine the Lower School Golf Open. Twelve golfers (with
individual and team performances from both Junior and caddies) battled it out for the coveted Open Trophy.
Senior sides. Talbot proved the strongest on the Senior There was some excellent golf played by the young
event, edging Woodard in the final by one goal. competitors. On a shortened six-hole course Richard
Lay, Jamie Thomas and Taylor Batson tied for second
Results place with rounds of 32. The day was won by Teddy Hall
Seniors with a magnificent round of 23; he also nearly scored a
hole-in-one on the sixth green.
1st Talbot
Inter-House Tug O’ War
2nd Woodard
3rd Wakeman-Lambart The first ever (as far as we know) House Tug-o-War took
4th Meynell place this Summer. In the semi-finals Woodard defeated
Wakeman-Lambart by two pulls to nil and Meynell,
Senior House Golf 2010 having lost the first pull to Talbot, pulled back to win 2 -
1. Third place was claimed by Talbot beating Wakeman-
We had perfect weather for the Senior House Golf this Lambart 2 - 0. In the final Woodard proved too strong and
year. Sixteen players competed in a very even match. beat Meynell 2 - 0.
There was some excellent golf played, with some very
respectable scores being posted, especially considering Senior School House Swimming
the difficult green conditions. Meynell ran out winners
helped by a superb round of 33 by Cameron Murdoch. Results
This is the second-best score ever posted in this Boys
competition. The battle for second place was very tight,
with Talbot edging the result by only two shots. 1st Talbot 56 pts
2nd Woodard 48 pts
Scores 3rd Wakeman-Lambart 32 pts
Name House Score 4th Meynell 16 pts
Cameron Murdoch Meynell 33 Girls
Harrison Gwilt Wakeman-Lambart 41 1st Woodard 22 pts
Grant Jones Meynell 42 2nd Talbot 16 pts
James Mcarthy Meynell 42 3rd Meynell 11 pts
Marcus Talbot 42 4th Wakeman-Lambart 2 pts
Goetz Frentzen Talbot 42
Patrick Wakeman-Lambart 43 Overall
James Walker Talbot 43 1st Talbot 72 pts
Ben Lingard-Lane Woodard 43 2nd Woodard 70 pts
Nick Haukohl Woodard 44 3rd Wakeman-Lambart 34 pts
Mark Mcbrien Wakeman-Lambart 45 4th Meynell 27 pts
Angus Cross Meynell 45
Lower School Swimming Galas
Javier Lopez Wakeman-Lambart 47
James Webb Woodard 51 Results
Adam Brahim Talbot 56 Years 7 and 8 Boys
Euan Phillips Woodard Retired 1st Phillips 74 pts
Final Result 2nd Heywood 69 pts
3rd Brownlow 35 pts
1st Meynell 117 pts
2nd Talbot 127 pts Years 7 and 8 Girls
3rd Wakeman-Lambart 129 pts 1st Phillips 54 pts
4th Woodard 138 pts 2nd Heywood 42 pts
3rd Brownlow 20 pts
Lower School House Golf 2010 Overall Result
This year’s event was played in magnificent sunshine. 1st Phillips 128 pts
We played over a shorter course of six holes. It was 2nd Heywood 111 pts
great to see so many young golfers and their caddies out 3rd Brownlow 55 pts
playing. Best rounds of the day were shot by Oliver

156
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Key Stage 2 Boys

1st Phillips 32 pts
2nd Heywood 28 pts
3rd Brownlow 23 pts
Key Stage 2 Girls
1st Phillips 19 pts
2nd Heywood 18 pts
3rd Brownlow 17 pts
Key Stage 2 Mixed Relays
1st Phillips 16 pts
2nd Heywood 14 pts
3rd Brownlow 6 pts
Overall Result Above: Key Stage 2 Swimming Gala
1st Phillips 67 pts Below: A happy bunch of runners in the Cross Coutry
2nd Heywood 60 pts
3rd Brownlow 46 pts

House Rugby
Above, Meynell and Talbot battle it out in the air
Below, Wakeman-Lambart looking irresistable
Below right: Woodard on the attack against
Wakeman-Lambart

Above: Girls’ House Hockey

The Talbot goalkeeper under pressure from Meynell

157
 The Ellesmerian 2010
Sports - Academies
The Mighty Titans
The Titans team out in force at the 2010 Shropshire County Championships
Ellesmere College Titans continue towards their goal of
becoming a major force in British swimming. Just two
years after setting up the Ellesmere College Titans
Swimming Programme, and despite the relatively small
size of the club, Titan swimmers have achieved
remarkable success at County, Regional, National and
International level. As a result, the Titans Swimming
Programme is now attracting unprecedented interest in
Ellesmere College and its training regime from swimmers
from all over the UK and beyond.
Darren Mew, British 50m Long Course Breastroke
record-holder, with young Titans
158
In the Age Group Long Course rankings (as at 20th
August 2010), maintained by the sport’s governing body,
the ASA, Titan swimmers held an incredible ten No 1 UK
rankings. This was in addition to a multitude of high-
placed West Midland and Shropshire County
rankings.The competition season kicked off in October
when, after two hotly-contested qualifying rounds, the
Titans reached the prestigious final of the North West
National Arena League Division 2. Competing against
twenty other teams from all over the North of England,
the Titans achieved promotion for the second year
running and are now just one promotion away from the
Premiership.
In December at a Level 1 Open Meet held at Millfield
School, Ellesmere College Titan swimmer Darren
Mew smashed the British 50m Long Course Breaststroke
record in a time of 0:27.42. The club achieved further
success again at Millfield in April when Hector Pardoe,
aged nine, captured the UK No 1 Age Group ranking
positions in the 200m Butterfly and the 200m, 400m &
800m Freestyle. In February and March at the 2010
Shropshire County Championships Titan swimmers
literally stormed to victory; gaining two overall best
swimmer trophies, smashing ten all-time County records
and bringing home a medal haul of twenty-one Individual
Gold, thirty-one Silver and twenty-six Bronze medals.
James Wilson, Alfie Pardoe and Naomi Craig were
amongst those swimmers returning from the
Championships in possession of multiple medals.
In March, Titan swimmers Darren Mew, James Faure
and Stacey Tadd all competed at the British
Championships held at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. Stacey
Tadd, who also represents Bath University, won the Gold
medal in the 200m Breaststroke in a personal best time
of 2:29.66 – beating Olympic heroine Hannah Miley into
second place, and securing herself a place at this
Autumn's Commonwealth Games, which are being held
in Delhi, India.
 The Ellesmerian 2010
In June, Titan swimmers moved onto
competing at the Midland Age Group & Youth
Championships which were held in Coventry.
The competition includes the best swimmers
from ten counties and eligibility is determined
by the achievement of qualifying times. The
Titans had ten swimmers reaching qualifying
standard. Congratulations should go to the
following swimmers, who all reached the
qualification standard: Alfie Pardoe (aged 11),
James Wilson (aged 11), Naomi Craig (aged
12), Elliot Hughes (aged 12), Hannah Greene
(aged 12), Michael Doyle (aged 10), Luc
Sebastian-Jarzynski (aged 11), James
Norman (aged 19), Courtney Pickstone (aged
17) and David Main (aged 17). Alfie Pardoe
(Year 7), and James Wilson (Year 8), both
reached finals and James returned with six
Gold medals. To top the year off James Wilson
reached finals at the British Gas National Age
Group Championships, which were held in July
at Ponds Forge International Pool in Sheffield;
Darren Mew and James Faure both reached
finals at the English National Championships, The ‘usual suspects’ in mean mood - after securing promotion to
which were held in Sunderland in August; and the National Arena League First Division
Stacey Tadd reached the final of the Women’s
200m Breaststroke at the European
Championships in Budapest.
Throughout the year the club has added to
both its training facilities and its coaching
resources. Swimmers now benefit from over
sixteen hours per week of pool training, which
is dovetailed with dry-land Trixter X Biking,
cross country running and regular Yoga
sessions. In addition the club continues its
regular weekly Long Course (50m pool)
training time at Liverpool, and we have from
time to time been joined by leading experts in
nutrition, hydration, aqua-running, and core
stability and strength training.
In September 2009 the Titans Junior
Development Squad was launched (for very
promising 9 - 11 year- olds). Both this and the
Competitive Training Squad are now Celebrating the medal haul at the Liverpool Open Meet
functioning at capacity.
What has been achieved in our second year
reflects the ambition, hard work,
determination and, above all, vision of
everyone at the club. This is a positive go-
getting training environment for positive go-
getting swimmers. I am extremely proud of
everyone who has committed their time and
effort to follow their dreams. So it’s onwards
and upwards to the new swimming season –
a season in which the Titans will do
everything possible to achieve their goals.
One of the club’s mottos is “Think Big…Win
Big”. The Titans are already “Thinking Bigger”
and intend to “Win Bigger”.
Jon Pardoe
Head Coach
Titans in training

159
 The Ellesmerian 2010

Ellesmere College Cricket Academy

The main aim for the Academy this year was to develop invaluable as it gave an insight into what goes on
the players we had at the College, with a view to being during the day's play and, importantly, how long the
more mentally prepared on the field of play. game lasts, hence the necessity for preparing mentally
for long sessions.
Throughout the closed season,
players had access to one-to- Links with Scindia School
one coaching, personal fitness (India) and Western Province
training and advice on how to (South Africa) are still strong.
prepare mentally for match Two players from Scindia
days. Personally I don't think School, Ranuak Jain and
enough time is spent in this Piyush Mittal, and James
area, compared with the time Williams from Cape Town all
traditionally given to nets or experienced playing cricket over
physical training. It is a matter of here. On the back of that
striking the right balance. Jordan Evans, Cricket Scholar
During the season this and our Captain for the last two
approach began to prove itself, years, has now gone over to
with Will Doerr and David South Africa for six months to
Powell demonstrating twice that play cricket. We wish him all the
they could put on partnerships best and hope the experience of
of over a hundred. Jordan playing over there will be of
Evans, too, batted for long lasting value.
periods of the game, scoring
two centuries. Our bowling Two young cricketers, William
became more consistent in line Doerr and David Powell, have
and length. This was reflected had a very good season as an
in team performances opening partnership for the U13
throughout the College age Cricket team. On two occasions
range. they have made over 100 runs
before the first wicket of the
Another area on which the innings has fallen. The most
Academy is focusing is Girls’ important of the two innings
Cricket. Regular training was against North West Wales,
sessions during lunch breaks Above: William Doerr and David Powell with which is a representative side.
have been set up and are their record-breaking first-wicket partnership This was a great achievement
continuing throughout the year. against good quality bowling.
Alongside that the girls have For such young boys they
been involved in matches Below: Dewi Jones, North East Wales Young displayed an extremely high
against local primary schools to Player of the Year level of concentration, good
give them the experience of decision-making and confident
playing the game. With this in stroke play at the approriate
mind, for the second year times. This is a very good
running the National Club example of what can be
Festival was held at the College. achieved if one is prepared to
Although the day was too wet to work hard at developing good
play outside we still managed batting technique.
to play indoors, and two
England women players, Jenny Another talented young
Gunn and Katie Brunt, came cricketer from the Ellesmere
along to support the event. Two College Cricket Academy has
days later the College held the recently been named North
National County semi-finals, at East Wales Young Player of the
which Kent, Wales, Lancashire Year. Dewi Jones, who joined
and Yorkshire staged an the School in Year 10 as a day
exciting day's play. The ECB boy, was previously a pupil of
now recognises the College as Ysgol Morgan Llwyd School in
a superb venue and intends to Wrexham. Whilst continuing to
host National and District play for Brymbo Cricket Club,
training as well as matches he also is an Ellesmere College
here. There will therefore be a Cricket Academy Scholar. As a
big emphasis on developing successful batsman, with an
Girls’ Cricket for the future. average score of 63, Dewi
represents North East Wales at
We are again grateful to Adam Regional level and Wales at
Shantry from Glamorgan National level.
CC, who visited the Open Day and helped out with a
training session. He also gave an in-depth interview on Another year, another Kwik Cricket Festival for young
what it takes to be a First Class cricketer in the modern cricketers, once again played in glorious weather. Six
era. The Academy boys also visited Worcestershire CC schools and eight teams played in two groups;
during Expeditions to watch a four-day game. This was Cockshutt, Ellesmere Primary A and B, Criftens,

160

The Kwik Cricket Festival, for teams from local primary schools
The Ellesmerian 2010
Welshampton, Myddle A and B and
Ifton Heath. The winners of Group A,
Ellesmere Primary A XI, then played
the runners-up of Group B, which
turned out to be Ellesmere B XI. It
proved to be the most exciting game of
the festival, with Ellesmere As winning
off the last ball. The other group was
contested between Ifton Heath and
Criftens, the latter winning. They went
on to be runners-up to Ellesmere A XI
in the final. They went forward to
represent the North Shropshire area
in June. Everyone enjoyed the day,
with teachers getting involved either
scoring or umpiring. This is for some
their first attempt at playing cricket.
We hopeful they will now go on to play
for local clubs.
My thanks must go to all the support
staff who made the season so
successful.
Rod Jones, Director

Ellesmere College Tennis Academy

The Academy has again grown in strength and
numbers this year. Our results were the best ever and
the programme even busier. We had an expedition to
a Tennis Academy in Spain last October, a day at Welti
in March and a Summer expedition to Middlesex
where we worked with a fabulous team of coaches and
players.
We have now reached every National final in the girls’
game in this last twelve months, and are well on the
way this season already; and the Year 8 boys have
qualified for the Regional finals for the first time.
We have introduced a programme from Bath Tennis
Academy to structure our strength and conditioning
training, and have a National coach who visits us once
a month to add variety to the programme.
This year we have set up a Mini-Tennis Development
Group, which seems to have made a very good start.
We still have our connections with Welti to help with
our performance programme. Maybe the coming year
will be our year for a National Championship!
Aegon League
The Years 8 and 10 Girls’ teams qualified for the
Regional Finals of the Aegon League, following six
successful County rounds and two Midlands
Regional knock-out rounds. We then travelled to
Nottingham Tennis Centre for the Regional Finals in
mid-November, in which both teams triumphed,
taking us to the National Finals in Dee. The Year 10
team comprised Jo Bowen, Hannah Clarke, Kate
Norman and Emily Sutcliffe. The Year 8 team
comprised Chloe Hughes, Catriona Jones, Harriet
Jones and Olivia Jones.

Winning Aegon League Teams

Top right: Year 8s Olivia Jones, Harriet Jones,
Catriona Jones and Chloe Hughes
Right: Year 10s Jo Bowen, Emily Sutcliffe,
Hannah Clarke and Kate Norman

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Aberdare Cup
Both U19 Girls’ teams had a good run in the Aberdare Cup this season. The A team squad of Jo Bowen in Year 11,
Hannah Clarke in Year 10 and twins Harriet and Olivia Jones in Year 9 won all twelve sets in their matches against
The Grange School and Rydal Penrhos. In the Regional Final they played Lymm High School in a long and very close
match which in the end they lost. The B team of Emily Sutcliffe in Year 10, twins Christina and Patricia Lieberoth-
Leden, and Anabel Koldijk, all in Year 12, knocked out Shrewsbury Sixth Form College and Shrewsbury High School
before losing to Lymm High School in the semi-final.

Aberdare Cup Teams

Left: The A Team of Jo Bowen, Hannah Clarke, Harriet Jones and Olivia Jones
Right: The B Team of Emily Sutcliffe, Patricia Lieberoth-Leden, Anabel Koldijk and Christina Lieberoth-Leden

Glanville Cup
The U19 Boys’ squad of James Joule and Toby Blake in Year 13, Fredi Steinebach in Year 12 and Christian Cieslik in
Year 11 also made good progress in their National competition. We travelled to Idsall School knowing that we were
two wins away from a possible joint trip to the National Finals with their female counterparts. We defeated Idsall but
then lost in the semi-final to Wolverhampton Grammar School.
National Tennis Finals at Bolton Arena
At the end of April a mixed squad and a girls’ team travelled to the Senior Students
National Finals in Bolton. The Girls’ team was faced with a baptism of fire in the first
of their three matches, coming up against the top seeds and eventual Champions
from Culford School. However, they came agonisingly close to a major upset as
they took Culford to a match tie-break. The girls recovered well from this
disappointment, recording convincing victories against
Benenden and Peter Symmonds College to secure third
place overall in the eight-team event. Jo Bowen and Above: Second in the
Christian Cieslik from Year 11 played alongside Patricia National Finals, the
Lieberoth-Leden from Year 12 and James Joule from Mixed Doubles Team
Year 13 in the Mixed Doubles team. They played very ofJames Joule, Jo
well and qualified for the final thanks to excellent Bowen, Patricia
performances against Boston Grammar School and
Lieberoth-Leden and
Greenhead College. However, despite a battling display,
the effort of playing fourteen sets in little more than two Christian Cieslik
days took its toll. In the final, the quartet slipped to a Right: Welti U18
narrow defeat against Queen Mary’s College. Having Champion Jo Bowen
performed creditably at this tournament last year, it
was very pleasing to see how our standard had
improved sufficiently to be so close to securing two
championships this year.
Welti U18 Open Tournament
This is an LTA-recognised event which attracts the
leading young players in the region. The achievement
of Jo Bowen in winning the title was all the more
impressive because, at sixteen, she was one of the
youngest competitors in the tournament. She endured
a marathon semi-final and still had the tenacity and
strength of character to come through an equally long
final against an opponent whom she had not beaten in
fifteen previous attempts.
Nikki Hoy, Director

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Parents’ Society
The Parents’ Society Committee
From left, standing: Zoe Walker, Helen Ainge, Denise Murdoch,
Ann Austin, Sena Parry (Chairman), Mary McCarthy,
Sue Hamilton, Sue Dewhirst
From left, sitting: Anne Wignall, Amanda Venner, Carole Main
The Ellesmere College Parents’ Society organises social
events to be enjoyed by parents, staff, children and
friends of the College. Numbers have grown during
2010, with a steady flow of new parents being welcomed
to its monthly meetings. The last twelve months have
seen a variety of well-supported social events for parents
and families, and whilst the participants were enjoying
each other’s company the events collectively produced a
surplus of funds which has been re-invested in the
school as well as being donated to charities. Lower
School has received, as well as support for the Wildlife
Garden, an activity centre purchased by the Parents’
Society for the enjoyment of Lower School pupils.
Sena Parry, new Chairman of the EC Parents’ Society,
with daughter Kate
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The Ellesmerian 2010
At the 2010 Annual General Meeting of the
Ellesmere College Parents’ Society a new
Chairman was elected. Sue Dewhirst relinquished
the reins to Sena Parry, last year’s Vice Chairman.
Sena, who is mother to Kate in Year 10, became
involved with the Parents’ Society in 2007, initially
helping out at events and gradually becoming
more involved with the Committee with the
intention of getting to know the other parents and
families. She decided to accept the role as
Chairman with the aim of developing further the
social side of the Society and encouraging more
parents and families to become involved.
Quiz Night
This year the Quiz and Chilli night was held in the
Arts Centre in March and was again a great
success with over sixty-five quizzers taking part.
This year’s champions were one of the College’s
Teachers’ Teams - no surprises there! Thank you
to exceptional Bar Staff Mr & Mrs Nigel
Leadbeater for their stalwart service on the night.
Parents’ Society Christmas Tree
Sue Dewhirst, previous Chairman, planting the
Christmas Tree
As part of their ongoing support to projects around the
school, the Parents’ Society agreed to fund the
purchase of a new Christmas tree to be planted on the
lawn opposite the School Library. Members of the
Parents’ Society were invited to join representatives
from Year 6 and the Sixth Form Prefect body to plant the
tree. The School Chaplain, Father David Slim,
performed a short dedication, followed by the planting of
a time capsule by the Lower School pupils. Items
 The Ellesmerian 2010
depicting life at Ellesmere College had been collected by
the pupils as part of the commemorative activities to
mark the 10th Anniversary of Lower School. The
Parents’ Society are always looking for ways to enhance
the enjoyment of the pupils’ life at the College and it was
particularly pleasing this year to contribute to the
wonderful atmosphere that pervades the whole school at
Christmas time. The Christmas tree was lit for the first
time, as the Lower School Choir sang, during the second
International Christmas Market in aid of Hope House.
Parent Society representatives were again present to
help serve the refreshments during this event.
125th Anniversary Christmas Ball
Thanks to much preparation by members of the Parents’
Society Committee, two hundred and twenty parents and
their guests enjoyed the annual Parents’ Society Ball,
with the theme of ‘Money, Money Money’, during the
Christmas holidays. Following a drinks reception held in
Learning to waltz in good company

Ballroom Dancing Master Class

Guests at the Parents’ Society Christmas Ball
May 2010 brought Ballroom Dancing
enthusiasts - parents, staff and 6th Form
pupils - together for the first time on the
dance floor, to learn the basics of the Waltz
and the Cha Cha Cha. The evening was
enormous fun and enjoyed by all. There
was a light buffet supper and cafe bar, to
help with aching feet! Further sessions are
planned for next year. The chosen charity of
the marvellous Dancing Instructors Mr & Mrs
Ron Powell, ‘Riding for the Disabled’,
benefitted from this event.
‘Neon Glow’ Disco for Years 7 & 8
The Main hall in Lower School was
transformed into a Neon Disco for the two
top junior years, as they enjoyed a ‘rave’ in
May this year. There was a ‘happening’ DJ,
delicious party food and enough neon glow
sticks to light North Shropshire; the
atmosphere was electric! Many thanks are
due to the very creative Mrs Sam Arnold and
her team of volunteers for a wonderful
night’s entertainment.

Ante-School and Ante-Chapel, everyone

proceeded up the stairs to the Dining
Hall, which looked enchanting with its
decorated lining and beautifully prepared
candlelit tables. A delicious meal
followed, prepared by the Shropshire
catering company, Roslin Caterers.
Carvers were nominated for each table,
and supplied with a chef’s hat and apron.
During the meal Spanner in the Works
entertained guests with their antics
around the Dining Hall. After the
presentation of raffle prizes, the band,
Abba Arrival, began to play and dancing
continued until the early hours. Guests
also had the opportunity to try their luck
at the casino arranged by members of
the Whitchurch Round Table. Bar
services were provided by the local
company, Tipples.
Pupils enjoying themselves at the Neon Glow Disco

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Parents’ Society Fundraising

Left, from left: Michelle Potts, Sue Dewhirst, Suzanne
Bellis, Carol Main, Joan McLarnon from Self Unlimited
and Andrew Collinge
Below, from left: Josh Boswell representing the pupils,
Sena Parry (Chairman), Claire Nestor of Macmillan
Cancer Relief, Sue Dewhirst and Michelle Potts

Contributions to Charities
The Parents' Society contributes to a number of good
causes during the year. One notable event this year was
the Macmillan 'Biggest Coffee Morning', laid on in the
Arts Centre for parents and members of the local
community, and sponsored by The Body Shop at Home,
which offered a variety of treatments to participants.
Coffee and chocolates were donated by local businesses
and there were stalls selling jewellery and cards. The
event raised £550 for Macmillan Cancer Relief which,
together with another cheque for £661 raised from a
Non-Uniform Day, was presented to Claire Nestor,
Shropshire Fundraising Manager for the charity.
Another charity which benefitted from Parents' Society
efforts was Self Unlimited, the charity supported by
Andrew Collinge, OE, the speaker at last year's Ladies’
Lunch. Sue Dewhirst, Michelle Potts and Carole Main,
with Suzanne Bellis from Ellesmere College Enterprises,
travelled to the flagship salon of Andrew Collinge
Hairdressing in Liverpool, to enjoy a wash and blow-dry
and a glass of champagne. A cheque for £1500 was
presented to Joan McLarnon, Events Co-ordinator for
Self Unlimited. The very fortunate raffle prize winner for
the Andrew Collinge makeover was Mrs Vanessa
Bateman, who looked amazing after her makeover.
Without all the parents like Vanessa who purchased
raffle tickets, ECPS could not have raised the £1500.
Ladies’ Summer Luncheon
On 1st July, ECPS once again organised the now very
popular Ladies’ Luncheon, which has become an
essential fixture in the local Shropshire social calendar.
Over 240 guests enjoyed lunch on the College Terraces.
Many local businesses came with stalls and guests
shopped before and after lunch. Our guest speaker was
Emma Wellings, Chief Stylist at ‘Style Our Souls’, who
preformed a live makeover on Mrs Anne Wignall & Mrs
Carole Main. The Ellesmere College Music Scholars
provided an amazing line-up of talent to entertain guests
during lunch and ECPS thanked them by donating funds
to ‘The Peter Messenger Memorial Scholarship’. The
raffle raised funds for ‘Age Concern’ and many wonderful
prizes were donated by the local companies present.
The Committee is grateful to all ECPS members and
volunteers.

Summer Picnic
The family picnic again
followed Lower School Sports
Day in June this year. ECPS
was pleased to host an
evening of family fun that
included a delicious barbeque
and salad buffet on the
Terraces. Many of the
children (and adventurous
parents) took part in the Tug-
O-War and the Bungee Run,
while others enjoyed meeting
a real Hollywood star -
Scarlet, the wonder-pig from
Nanny McPhee! Picnickers
enjoyed shopping at the many
stalls and watching the
wonderful Dog Show, others
simply relaxed with their
picnics, watching the 1st XI
Cricket match. Ladies’ Lunch guests listening to speaker Emma Wellings in the marquee

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Old Ellesmerians
Message from the President
Ian Johnston, OE President, with Mel Halstead (left) and
Siobhan Connor
Half-way through my Presidency I feel it is time to reflect appreciation, he was presented with a case of wine, and
on the College, the OE Club and the year to date. The
College goes from strength to strength, with continuing
high numbers of pupils despite the current downturn.
Results, be they academic or sporting, are impressive
whilst activities such as drama continue to thrive. All of Ian Johnston
these aspects point to a happy and balanced
environment where young people can develop to their full
potential. In this respect it seems that nothing has
changed from the days when I entered Zoo (Junior
School) in 1946, subsequently spending nine very happy
years at the College, before leaving in 1955 having been
a member of the now infamous 5C brigade.
The OE Club continues to thrive and it is very pleasing to thanks.
see the influx of younger members to the Executive,
including Mel Halstead and Siobhan Connor. Also joining
in May 2010 was David Bradley, who is now taking over
the Chairmanship of the West Midlands. The new
diversity of the Executive reflects the changes in the
College over the past twenty years or so and will ensure
that the club expands and meets the challenges facing it.
The appointment of Nick Pettingale as the College
Development Director, together his PA, Lesley Farrar, has
been invaluable to both the school and the Club over the
last twelve months. They are always supportive and
helpful in the many areas where we need their services
and fill superbly the administrative void that always lurks
in voluntary organisations.
The OE Club continues to support the College in many
and varied ways. As I write, a new tiled floor is being
installed in Founders Gate which features the Raven and
represents the latest phase in our involvement in the
refurbishment of this area. In addition, two new boards
will shortly be erected in Big School listing Headmasters
and Custodes. Support has not been limited to
‘hardware’ and the Club has sponsored a number of ex-
pupils in their endeavours in sporting and research fields.
The Summer Festival, which was held in early
September, was a great success thanks to the
good weather, but I must say that the turnout was
disappointing and we must work even harder to
encourage members to return for events such as
these. Our thanks must go to Paul Russell, Nick
Pettingale and Lesley Farrar for all the work that
they did to make the event so enjoyable. Richard
Morris should also be congratulated for organising
the sports side.
Turning to the more social aspects of Club life I
have attended the Liverpool Dinner at Heswall
Golf Club, the Jersey Dinner at the Greenhills
Hotel, and the Manchester Dinner at
Stanneylands Hotel. All the events have been
well supported, in particular Manchester, which
attracted seventy-eight members. It is also good
to see younger OEs organising their own social
events and it is important that these are supported
by the Club and integrated into the overall
calendar of events.
At the Manchester Dinner it was with regret that I
had to announce that David Swinn was stepping
down as Chairman after serving in his capacity as
Secretary and Chairman since 1981. Certainly
twenty-nine years is an incredible time for anyone
to have worked with the Club. As a token of our
his wife Eleanor with a bouquet of flowers.
Finally, I look forward to playing my part at the
Remembrance Service and attending the remainder of
the Dinners at Wolfscastle and Shifnal.
The Frank Sutterby Legacy
Thanks to a bequest from Frank Sutterby, retired member
of the Common Room, both students and staff can now
enjoy and benefit from a state-of-the-art gym and fitness
suite. The College is very grateful for the generosity of
the Sutterby family and acknowledge their gift with
Hugh Wignall (left) and Max Deighton Winter making
use of some of the fitness equipment purchased with
Frank Sutterby’s bequest

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Honorary OEs
Eight members of the support staff with over two
hundred and sixty years of service between them,
and four members of the Common Room with one
hundred and fourteen years between them (and
still counting, in some cases) have been awarded
Honorary Membership of the Old Ellesmerian
Club. The presentations were made by John
Harvey, then President, and Richard Morris,
Chairman.
The support staff thus honoured were Carol
Thompson, Headmaster’s Secretary; Sue Hinks,
Housekeeper; Brian Davies, a member of the
Maintenance Team; Chris Jones, Plumber; Anne
Knowles, School Shop Manager; Ian Morris, Head
Groundsman; Keith Tomkins, Assistant Catering
Manager; and Lydia Tabbron, House Mother and
more recently Receptionist. The Common Room
staff honoured were Ros McCarthy, who retired From left: Mike Sampson, Paul Goodwin, Ros McCarthy,
this Summer after twenty-one years of teaching Richard Morris (OE Chairman) and Terry Howitt-Dring
and, latterly, managing the Support for
Learning Department; Terry Howitt-
Dring, who began teaching at
Ellesmere in 1970 and who, as well as
running the Design Department, was
responsible for the organisation of
External Examinations; Mike
Sampson, currently Deputy Head
(Pastoral), but who will be remembered
by most OEs as Housemaster of
Meynell and Rugby coach (he still
coaches the U15As); and Paul
Goodwin, erstwhile Head of PE and
currently Director of Admissions, who
still coaches the 1st XV Rugby.
From left: Brian Davies, Ian Morris,
Lydia Tabbron, Sue Hinks, John Harvey
(former President), Anne Knowles,
Carol Thompson, Keith Tomkins and
Chris Jones

Gold Awards for 2009 Leavers OEs Return to Help Out

The CCF regularly welcomes back OEs to help out with its
activities. This year Beth Clewlow and Chris Green stepped in
at the last minute when there was an unexpected staff shortage
at the Army Summer Camp at Crowborough.

From left: Emma Johnson, Pippa Sole and

Elizabeth Boffey with their Duke of Edinburgh Gold
Awards at Buckingham Palace Beth Clewlow and Chris Green assisting at Summer Camp

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 The Ellesmerian 2010
Cover Stories
Emma Snow (St Oswald's 1995-1997)
Emma graduated with a Masters degree in Chemistry from Jesus College, Oxford, in 2001.
Since training as a chartered accountant at a charity specialist City firm, she has worked
for a number of charities and social enterprises, including international development
charity Plan and Workers Beer Company, a fundraising organisation running the bars at
major festivals including Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds. She is currently Director of
Finance and Administration at the Refugee Council, the national umbrella charity for
refugees. Meanwhile, outside work, Emma completed a BA in Fine Art at Chelsea College
of Art and Design in 2008 and exhibits around London. She is also a trustee of human
rights charity Anti-Slavery International. She got married in January this year.
Kathleen Benner (Talbot 2005-2006)
Kate Benner graduated this year from Princeton University with a degree in Public Policy.
She has moved to Washington, DC to work for the Office of the United States Trade
Representative, which is a part of the Executive Office of the President and serves such
purposes as advising the President on trade, monitoring the fulfillment of trade agreements
and participating in trade negotiations. In particular, she spends her time as a member of
the Office of the General Counsel, where she assists the General Counsel and other
lawyers and is deciding whether to pursue a degree in Law herself.
Robert Kelsall ( Wakeman 1980-1984)
Robert Kelsall left Ellesmere and followed his dream to travel and work in hotels. Having
studied Hotel Management in Brighton, and after various stints in multiple locations in
Scotland, England and Wales, he was transferred to Jakarta in 1995. He subsequently
married an Irish woman, adopted two beautiful Indonesian kids, and in 1999 moved with
his family to Bali where he has since built his home. He is now Vice President of
Operations for Prime Plaza Hotels and Resorts and also manages the Bali Dynasty Resort.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Lock OBE MA

Royal Welsh (Lambert 1979-1984)
Nick Lock left Ellesmere in 1984 to study History and Archaeology
at Bangor University. Whilst at Bangor he joined the Territorial
Army and met his future wife, Sarah. In 1989 he joined the 1st
Battalion,The Royal Welch Fusiliers. Tours of duty followed in
Northern Ireland, Berlin (where he was the Battalion duty officer
the night the Berlin Wall fell), New Zealand, Norway and England.
He was Operations Officer for the Battalion’s United Nations tour
of duty in Bosnia in 1995 where it fought prolonged engagements
with the Bosnian Serb Army in the eastern enclave of Gorazde.
Following a number of staff jobs he returned to the 1st Battalion
as a Company Commander in 2002. During his command his
Company exercised in Canada, fought fires in London during the
fire strikes and deployed on operations to Iraq in 2004 during the
Al-Sadr uprisings. Moving to Germany for a three-year tour of duty
in 2005, he deployed on an operational tour in Kabul, Afghanistan.
He assumed command of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh,
(The Royal Welch Fusiliers) based at the Dale Barracks Chester,
in August 2008. The Battalion deployed to Helmand Provence in
December 2009 as the Aviation Assault Battlegroup where,
commanding a Combined Force of Afghan, French and Estonian forces, it was the principle force element for
Operation MOSHTARAK, the largest Aviation Assault Operation since the first Gulf War. On its return from
Afghanistan Her Majesty The Queen presented Campaign Medals to the Battalion at Chester Racecourse. Nick has
been married to Sarah for eighteen years and they have one son, Jack who is eleven.
Nigel Spurr (Woodard 1965-1969)
Nigel completed his PhD in human cancer genetics in 1984 and then went on to run his
own laboratory group at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund for over twenty years,
ending up as Professor of Cancer Genetics at Leeds University. He then moved to the
pharmaceutical industry and has spent the past fifteen years working on understanding
how patients react to different drugs and developing medicines based on this
understanding. Much of his time is spent travelling between Switzerland, and his home
in Somerset, where he tends his acre of garden and tries to stop the marauding hoards
of rabbits, badgers, pigeons, moles and other pests from getting to the produce before
he does!

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Where Are They Now?

Dave Blakeman (Lambert,1977-1982)

After leaving Ellesmere in 1982, Dave received a

Master’s degree at UMIST in software
engineering. He later worked in Italy before
setting up his own software business in 1996.
His business now also has an office in Michigan,
and last year he was invited to Downing Street
for his export activities. He is married, to
Caroline, with a teenage daughter, Sarah.

Oliver Condy (Wakeman, 1988-1993)

Oliver has spent the last six years as the editor of
BBC Music Magazine and currently lives in Bristol.
His work allows him the privilege of interviewing
the world's greatest classical music artists (he's
pictured here with the late conductor Sir Charles
Mackerras) and makes an appearance from time to
time on radio and TV, recently learning the trumpet
for a Radio 4 audio diary. Appearing, though, on
'Piers Morgan's Life Stories' in October is
something he'd like to forget... Oliver still plays the
organ and gives a couple of recitals every year,
most recently in Norfolk which was attended by
none other than Mark Jones, former assistant
director of music at Ellesmere and Oliver's first
organ teacher.

Sir Noel Davies (Talbot ‘44)

Sir Noel’s career began with an engineering
apprenticeship with Austin at Longbridge; from
there he won a Technical State Scholarship to
Imperial College and studied Mechanical
Engineering. He joined Vickers, the shipbuilders,
and became their Chief Engineer for the
construction of the first British nuclear submarine
propulsion plant at the age of 29. He worked for
Vickers for forty years, rising to be Company Chief
Executive in 1989, leading the team building the
Trident nuclear submarines. He was President of
the Engineering Employers Federation in its
centenary year, 1998. He is now retired.

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The Ellesmerian 2010

Alan Halsall (Meynell 1966-1972)

After leaving the College, Alan qualified as a
lawyer. He subsequently took over control of the
family Toy Company where he stayed until 2006,
when the company was sold to the management.
In 2002 he purchased out of Administration
Silver Cross, the famous Pram Company, and
has been Chairman and sole shareholder since
2006. The company now supplies nursery
products in about twenty-six countries worldwide
and is the only pram manufacturer left in the UK.
He has just finished producing a book on the
Silver Cross brand, which sells on the website
silvercross.co.uk.

William Hart (Woodard 1985-1989)

William qualified with a degree in Medicine from
London and worked in London, Bristol and
Oxford whilst completing his basic surgical
training. He then returned to Shropshire to
complete his specialist surgical training at the
Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. (The only
previous time he had been there was after a
rugby injury folllowing a match with the U14s.)
After a further period learning specialist
techniques for joint replacement surgery in
North America and Canada William returned to
the UK and settled into a Consultant
Orthopaedic Surgery post at New Cross
Hospital in Wolverhampton whilst also
consulting privately in Wolverhampton and
Shrewsbury.

Linden Hutchinson (Meynell 1989-1997)

Linden gained a First in IT and Business
Management from York University. On graduation
he joined Tata Consultancy Services as a
Consultant, working in Leeds after initial training in
Mumbai. In 2005 he joined Accenture, working
initially on a project in Newcastle and commuting at
weekends to Nottingham, where his girlfriend Helen
was studying for her Doctorate. He and Helen
married in 2008. He is currently a Project Manager
with Accenture, based in London and living in
Sussex. Recently he has fulfilled an ambition to
study History by taking on a part-time postgraduate
course at Oxford University, which he is very much
enjoying.

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 The Ellesmerian 2010

Nicholas Jones (Lambert 1976-1978)

After leaving Ellesmere Nick joined the family
business, prior to graduating from college in
London. After meeting Karen, an American on
holiday in London, Nick relocated to the United
States to work in IT for GE. In 1994 he settled in
Atlanta with Karen, now his wife, and their two
children, subsequently graduating with an MBA
from Liverpool University. He continues to work in
IT, as Quality Assurance Director -
Implementation and Compliance, for Global
Payments, an International payment processing
company. In September, Nick was proud to
become a dual citizen of both the US and the UK
at a ceremony held at the Georgia Capitol
building. Nick wears his recently-acquired
Ellesmere College cuff-links with great pride.

Alastair Keeble (Woodard 2002-2007)

Alastair enjoyed many activities in the CCF, which
certainly fuelled the taste for military adventure,
and in December 2007 following a series of
interviews he passed the physical Potential Royal
Marine Recruit tests. In February 2008, along with
fifty-two other recruits, his gruelling thirty-four-
week training started at the Commando Training
Centre in Lympstone, Devon. He was finally
“passed for duty” in November 2008, with only
thirteen colleagues left of the original group.
He is now based in Taunton, Somerset with 40
Commando RM. He has served in Cyprus, Turkey,
Malaysia, and Brunei, where he completed eight
weeks of jungle warfare training. He was deployed
to Afghanistan during the early part of 2010.

David Massey (Meynell 1992-1997)

Just as Barack Obama told the United States,
“Our destiny isn’t written for us - it’s written by
us”, David set out to have a career in tennis
after completing a four-year degree at the
University of Bristol. Starting as nothing more
than an unpaid intern for ATP, the governing
body of men's professional tennis, David is
now Vice President of ATP Europe. Based in
the Principality of Monaco, ATP Europe
serves as the European headquarters for the
ATP World Tour featuring sixty-two
tournaments in thirty-one countries.

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The Ellesmerian 2010

Mike McMahon (Wakeman 1974 -1979)

Mike went straight from Ellesmere to the Royal
Military Academy, Sandhurst; quite a culture shock!
During a career spanning twenty-six years he served
in Northern Ireland, Germany, The Balkans, Sierra
Leone, Liberia and Afghanistan, and reached the
rank of Colonel. In late 2006 he joined the Australian
Army as a Lieutenant Colonel for a complete change
of scenery. Based in Sydney for the first couple of
years, he spent some time in Iraq, Kuwait and
Afghanistan (again!). Far more importantly, he met
Andrea (an officer in the Army’s Band Corps) and
they were married in Melbourne in March 2009.
During that year Mike’s responsibilities included
assisting with the response to the worst bushfires in
living memory. Mike was promoted to Colonel at the
end of 2009. He and Andrea are now settled in their
own home in Melbourne and are immersed in sport,
culture and the arts.

Robert Napier (Talbot 1974-1979)

When Bob Napier left Ellesmere he went to
study English Literature and Politics at Oxford
Polytechnic. Commissioned into the Royal
Artillery in 1984, he is currently a Lieutenant
Colonel on loan service as an Instructor at the
Joint Command and Staff College in Kuwait.
During his service he was in Kuwait during its
liberation in 1991, Northern Ireland in 1992,
Bosnia in 1995 and 1996, Kosovo in 1999, Iraq
in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2007. Having spent
only four years in the UK in the last twenty-six,
he has also been posted around Germany,
Holland and Valencia in Spain.

Richard Sampson (Meynell 1997-2002)

Richard read Law at the University of Exeter and
initially worked as a Legal Secretary with Paul Harfitt
& Co in Wem. He then gained a place at the Inns of
Court School of Law in London to follow his ambition
of studying for the Bar. Graduating and being called
to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 2007 he went on to work
as Clerk to The Rt Hon Lord Justice Leveson (at that
time Senior Presiding Judge for England and
Wales), visiting courts and compiling the Judge’s
report for the Lord Chancellor as well as the leading
members of the Judiciary. He was encouraged by
the Judge to apply for a post as a Legal Adviser
within Her Majesty’s Courts Service and was
accepted for a traineeship at Croydon Magistrates’
Court. Richard secured his current post as a pupil
barrister at Blackfriars Chambers in London in 2010.
He is Chairman of the London OE Club.

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OLD ELLESMERIAN cLub
As a former pupil of the College
the Old Ellesmerian Club is for you

Do keep in touch with us as we have regional dinners

throughout the year, sporting events, regular newsletters, an
active website and we are able to sponsor worthwhile causes.

Those who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the

Club always appreciate news of your progress through life.
Wherever you are in the world please stay in contact via the
OE Club website
www.oeclub.co.uk
or
www.oeclub.com

Club Chairman:
Richard Morris (Woodard 82-88)
Willington Lodge, Horseman’s Green
Nr. Whitchurch SY13 3BZ
Home Tel: 01948 830275 Mobile: 07801 592120
email: willingtonlodge@hotmail.co.uk

So - don’t forget - keep in touch!

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