Month: September 2024
During the early summer of this year a call went out to the wider Sedberghian Community asking for a volunteer. The grandson of George Windram (Sedgwick House 1895 – 98) had contacted the School asking for information about George, a casualty from the First World War. George died while serving with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and until that moment we had not known that George had died in the conflict. During the Old Sedberghian Club Pilgrimage a pledge was made to visit the resting place of every known Sedberghian WW1 casualty. As the Club did not know of George’s death, he was not included in the Pilgrimage. It was time to put that right.
Our School Chaplain, Rev Paul Sweeting, who is also an RAF Reservist Chaplain felt strongly moved to visit George’s grave. Below is an account from Paul, first of the visit he undertook privately with his wife, Maxine, and when he returned a few weeks later on the School battlefields trip with the whole of Year 11.
When I saw the request to visit the grave of George Windram I was immediately interested. Maxine and I were planning a short holiday in Ypres and decided to extend it – and to include a day to head down to the Somme in order to visit the grave and pay respects on behalf of the School. Having not known about him, the OS Club had not visited in 1918 and I felt that it was important to now include George Windram. Maxine was equally keen.
On Speech Day morning I was on Winder Fell first thing and invited James and Caroline Morgan, two senior members of staff, to gather some soil with me. They had invited colleagues to join them on Winder for their final Speech Day before retirement. This soil I took with us to scatter on the grave, following the practice begun during the OS Pilgrimage to scatter soil from Winder on the graves of OS casualties. I had assisted in 2014 with gathering and blessing the soil for the Pilgrimage. A ‘Sedbergh remembers’ cross came with us to Ypres, along with the soil and the service card that was used on the Pilgrimage.
It was an emotional moment to find George’s grave, set in a beautiful Commonwealth War Graves cemetery with typical Somme slopes below us. He lies with seven other soldiers of New Zealand, six of whom died on the same day – that was striking. For us both it was an unforgettable moment, and deeply meaningful, to be there.
I returned about two weeks later with the Year 11 Battlefields Trip. This was the last visit of our day on the Somme and the pupils were unaware of the significance: quite deliberate on our part. By this point they had really begun to appreciate the enormity of the First World War – we had just come from an Act of Remembrance at the Thiepval Memorial. There, George Windram’s name was read out for the first time as an OS casualty on the Somme. Now, by his graveside, I told them the story of how we had come to hear of him, of what we knew had happened back then, and brought today’s Sedgwickians forward. One was invited to place another cross on his grave and after a period of reflection a pupil piped as the others took their leave of George Windram, one of our own.
Sedbergh remembers.
There are only a few months to go until we celebrate 500 years of Sedbergh history. We are starting to hang out the bunting, write our speeches, and polish the silverware, in advance of what promises to be a year to remember.
Of course, the quincentenary is a mile post, not a finishing line. It is an important marker on an arc of history that stretches from 1525 to distant centuries yet to come.
In modern times ‘Floreat Sedberghia’ has been our battle cry and a reminder of the inner confidence with which the School has marched.
We adopt it now as the title for our new newspaper which has been launched to celebrate our anniversary. It will be published twice yearly and is intended as a two way communication between the Development Office (OS Club and Foundation) and the Sedbergh Community.
You can read an electronic copy of the newspaper HERE. If you would like a hard copy please let us know and we will post one out to you.
Please therefore write to us and let us know your news. If you have something important to say, or even a pithy anecdote, please send your letters to the Editor. Either email to osclub@sedberghschool.org or write to The Editor, The Development Office, Sedbergh School, Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5HG.
We hope you enjoy reading it and we look forward to seeing you at one or more of the celebratory events in 2025.
Jan van der Velde
Woody (Edward) Barlow, is founder of Bear Inns, and has worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, opening and establishing a number of award-winning venues. Woody is a member of the voting academy for Top 50 Gastro Pubs and is passionate about creating amazing pubs that have a joyful, lively atmosphere created by people, not only guests but those delivering genuinely great hospitality.
Read Woody’s article “Keeping Rural Pubs Vibrant: A Heartbeat Of Community Life” HERE.
Century Range Bisley – 18th July
On 18th July the OS Rifle Club met for our annual shooting match at Bisley in Surrey against other school alumni rifle clubs. The match is held immediately after the Schools’ Ashburton Shield Competition which gives all those attending a chance to see today’s Sedberghians in action on the range.
In recent years we have entered 3 teams and this year did not disappoint with a total of 16 firers turning up along with several OS spectators. Team selection does not always reflect the scores, not least because those attending are particularly modest about their shooting. There is also an added challenge in that some of the younger shooters have often not shot for much of the summer, preferring to focus on exams and this may be their first shoot for some time which can lead to variable results. Others arrive having not shot for many years and still manage to make respectable scores with borrowed equipment. This means that the best scores are spread throughout the 3 teams and not in the “A” team which would have been placed 2nd had all the best scores not been spread across 3 teams.
The “A” team comprising: John Warburton, Peter Bromley, Will Squires, Harriet Bramwell and Sarah Rorison scored 240.24v and in spite of having two scores of 50 the team was placed 18th only 8 points behind the leaders Old Epsomians.
The “B” team was selected from the “young guns” of Harry Welch, Freddie Cade, Lewis Smith, Ollie Christy and George Wood scored 238.26v close on the heals of the “A” team and were 8th in the 2nd team competition only 7 points behind the winners, Old Bradfieldians. The “C” team was made up of a combination of age and youth, including: Mark Wrigley, Toby Lehmann, Charlie Anyon, George Cordle and Keira Butler scored 230.18v and were placed 6th, 10 places behind the Old Greshams “B” team.
In addition, Robbie Morton, who the Captain somehow managed to leave out of the teams shot as an individual.
The 3 teams contributed to the score for the Veterans Aggregate and were placed 5th.
In conjunction with the main competition is the hotly contested McMullen Trophy presented to the highest Old Sedberghian score on the day. John Warburton and Peter Bromley both had scores of 50.6 but were beaten by Ollie Christy with an excellent 50.7. Ollie was also placed a creditable 4th in the Schools Veterans Individual Tankard.
Once the shooting is over, we have always headed to a social event and this year we all met up with the School Team at the RAF Club for a BBQ, which was kindly put together and cooked by Ian and Hayley Christy aided by Will Peters (OS), supporting his daughter Tatty. We were joined by Guy Trembath, James Ogilvie Robertson (supporting daughter India), Charlie Cowan, Katherine Fleck, Will Ross, Rowan Piper and Carmen Alverez De Toledo. This event is a great opportunity for Old and current Sedberghians to meet in a social setting after a busy day on the range, with tales of life at Sedbergh and universities to be swapped and the occasional discussion about the days shooting. Shooting is a sport that does not differentiate between age or sex, and the many of those attending the evening went on to compete against each other throughout the NRA Imperial Meeting, with OS advice and guidance available for the School shooters competing in the meeting.
This shoot happens every year and we are always keen to hear from any OS Shooter who would like to attend. Given the numbers and level of interest in shooting from younger OS, we are always looking for ways to support those making the transition between shooting at School and then being able to carry on shooting while juggling studies or new jobs, not always in easy reach of ranges.
Toby Lehmann (SH 72-77)
Service and Charity are an important part of Sedbergh School’s philosophy and so to celebrate the School’s 500th anniversary we are planning to enter as many staff, pupils, parents and OS as possible in the Great North Run to raise money for Save the Children. What We Do | UK & Around the World | Save the Children UK
The Great North Run half marathon is run annually at takes place on Sunday 7th September 2025 in Newcastle. We are delighted to partner with Save the Children to support their efforts. All of our staff and current year 12 pupils are invited to run as well as parents and OS. Sedberghian’s will be able to take advantage of a guaranteed Charity Place to run the event.
We are seeking expressions of interest from OS who would like to run. Entry is £35 and there is a £375 fundraising pledge.
If you would like to take part, please complete the form below by Friday 27th September so that Save the Children can secure our spaces.
Charity Fundraising – Save the Children – Great North Run Half Marathon
Please message me if you have any questions.
Many thanks
Richard Wells
Science Teacher & Head of Running