THE

ELLESMERIAN

2007
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Contents

Prefects ............................................................................................................................................................................2
VOLUME CXVII
School Notes ..............................................................................................................................................................3 2007
Captains of School
Head Boy: C. M. Cooper
Speech Day ................................................................................................................................................................9
Head Girl: A. J. Merrill

School Prefects
Prize List ......................................................................................................................................................................17 C. J. Bevan
C. E. Bushnell
House Notes ..........................................................................................................................................................18 P. M. Daborn
A. L. Dapling
H. E. Devonald
Saints Houses ......................................................................................................................................................26
I. R. Disspain
S-J. Edwards
Pupil Notes ................................................................................................................................................................29 A. L. Ellis
S. L. Haynes
In and Around ........................................................................................................................................................33 J. S. Jarvis
W. T. Norris
R. A. Simms
Out and About ......................................................................................................................................................35
J. Y. Zhang

CCF ....................................................................................................................................................................................42

Duke of Edinburgh ..........................................................................................................................................46

The Chapel of Saint Oswald ..............................................................................................................50

Art ........................................................................................................................................................................................51
www.ellesmere.com
Debating ......................................................................................................................................................................53 The College Website is updated
regularly with information on
sports fixtures, what’s on and
Drama ..............................................................................................................................................................................57 news items.

Music ................................................................................................................................................................................61

Middle School ........................................................................................................................................................62

The Editor wishes to thank
all contributors, and in particular
Sport ..................................................................................................................................................................................63 Suzanne Bellis, Kate Sampson and
Suzanne Hutchinson for their
considerable support.
Shooting ....................................................................................................................................................................109
Cover Picture:
Art work by
House Sport ..........................................................................................................................................................110 Tristam Thomas (GCSE)
Sarah -Jane Beswick (A-Level)
Luke Taylor (Year 7)
Lower School ......................................................................................................................................................114
Inside Cover Picture:
Year 11 Careers’ Conference, November 2006
Old Ellesmerian Festival ......................................................................................................................132 in Big School
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

HEAD BOY & HEAD GIRL

AND PREFECTS

Chris Bevan Head Boy Charles Cooper Charles Bushnell

& Head Girl Abigail Merrill*, (Talbot)

Pete Daborn Alice Dapling* Harriet Devonald Ian Disspain

(Wakeman-Lambart)

Sarah-Jane Edwards* Aled Ellis* Sarah Haynes James Jarvis

(Meynell) (Woodard & St Bede’s)

* Captain of House
William Norris Robert Simms Carrie Zhang
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

School Notes
September 2006 saw the arrival of a much higher
number of new members to the Common Room than
DEPARTURES
had departed two months before in July. The cause of
this was the growth of the pupil body from both
domestic and overseas sources, the latter mainly
resulting from the introduction of IB courses in the Sixth
Form. Sue Abbots joined the English department,
Louise Gunter Languages, Bill Hutchings became the
new Head of Lower School, Ian Roberts joined PE,
Suzanne Ryan History and Geography, Paul Swainson
Chemistry, and Gareth Owen PE. Gareth also took on
the role of Housemaster to St Patrick’s. Robin
Townsend also became a permanent member of staff in
Lower School. Three Gap Students came at the same
time; Dinesh Makhija as the IT technician’s assistant,
Maura Van Voris from Tabor Academy to help with
Performing Arts, and Tao Hong, who has helped in the
EAL department, kept the Library open in the evenings Claire Clewlow
and taught some Chinese in Lower School. All three Claire Crampton (later Clewlow) joined the English
completed their year in August 2007 and we wish them department at Ellesmere in September 2002. She quickly
well for their continuing careers in education. In proved herself to be an assured and lively presence in the
December 2006 our three Gap Students from the classroom, with a special aptitude for pastoral care in the
Antipodes, Caitriona Cotter, Laura Morton and Sam Junior section of the College, where she was promoted to a
McKelvey all departed to enter Higher Education back in senior post.
the Southern Hemisphere. The following Lent term saw Her interest in students’ lives and achievements outside the
the arrival of their replacements in the form of Pippa classroom was fully expressed in her commitment to Junior
Kranz, Justine McCullagh and Phil Hook. Chistina Drama – especially the annual Shakespeare festival – and
Westwood also entered the Common Room in January in her development of debating and public speaking where
2007, joining the Languages department to teach teams under her management achieved both regional and
German. national honours. Claire decided to seek new challenges in
Spring 2007 and we wish her every success for the future.
At the end of the Lent term Claire Clewlow departed to She remains on site with her husband Martin and whenever
take a short career break after five years here. In she is spotted around the grounds she appears to have her
addition to her excellent work in the English department, hands full with the management of her two dogs.
and as a Lower School tutor, Claire has made a massive
SFWP
contribution to the cultural life of the College as a
director of plays and as the instigator and organiser of
the hugely successful House Debating Competition.
The high achievements of College debating teams in
recent years are a fitting tribute to her efforts in this
area. Claire has also helped with Lower School
shooting and is renowned as an excellent shot herself.
We wish her well as she takes up a new teaching post in
September 2007.
The Summer term was unusual in that no long-term
members of staff were departing, but the end-of-year
cocktail party went ahead as planned, almost. The poor
weather had prevented the playing of any croquet
matches and forced us inside to say cheerio to the
leaving Gap Students. Even so the evening went well
and we are very grateful to the Headmaster and Mrs
Wignall for hosting us in their house at extremely short
Olwen Oldham
notice. The Summer term was also noteworthy for a After being a legal secretary for many years Olwen came to
the College in November 2003. Olwen job-shared with Lydia
new arrival in the Stanway household, with similar
in Reception and at the end of 2005 she was also a
events in the Fisher and Baggaley households just peripatetic secretary around the College in the afternoon.
before and after the start of the new academic year. Keen for a challenge, Olwen took on the new role of
During the summer vacation Emma Williams became Admissions Secretary. In her spare time Olwen frequently
Mrs. John. We congratulate all concerned on these visited her daughter in Stoke and was a keen gardener.
happy events. Olwen left the College in March 2007 to pursue a new
venture in property development and to spend time travelling
GH around this country and abroad.

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
ARRIVALS
Sighile Abbot
After graduating with an MA in French from Warwick
University, Sighile worked in France for a number of years,
teaching English and translating. On her return to England in
1992 she worked in Suffolk College, where she taught
English on the degree programme, alongside French and
Spanish. She then moved to Lincoln University, teaching
French and Spanish. After being made redundant in 2002
Sighile went to Abbotsholme School and – after a long,
circuitous route – finally made it to Ellesmere. As well as her
great love of drama, Sighile enjoys walking, singing and
dancing – and reading, when she has time.
Heather Battisson
When Heather left school in 1992 she studied for a degree in
Fine Art at Nottingham Trent University. After graduating she
moved to London to study Architecture at Westminster
University. Since returning home to Cheshire, she has
decided to combine her love for design and gardening and is
currently studying for an HNC in Landscape and Garden
Design at The Welsh College of Horticulture.
Heather enjoys spending time outdoors and this is reflected
not only in her job but also in her hobbies. She is a keen
climber and surfer and has been snowboarding for about 15
years.
4
Lyn Gunter
Before joining Ellesmere Lyn had taught long-term in the
Maintained sector and spent many years in one school,
teaching Modern Foreign Languages. After a career break in
2004 Lyn rejoined the teaching profession, working in a
variety of schools, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Holidays are spent visiting Tunisia, Egypt and the Balearics,
and various parts of the UK.
Nikki Hoy
Having started playing tennis competitively at age 4, Nikki
has played Regional and County tennis throughout her life
and still competes for the Shropshire team.
Her coaching career has seen Nikki working in some of the
biggest clubs in the country. She has also been a regular at
the coaching clinics provided at the major tournaments
countrywide. Nikki had the honour of coaching the Great
Britain U12 team in Spain recently.
Throughout her coaching career Nikki has been involved in
establishing club programmes for clubs and tennis centres of
all sizes. She believes in being actively involved in her
coaching programmes and coaches all levels from Mini Red
beginners through to National Juniors and beyond. Her
coaching also encompasses extensive work within the
special needs field, an area that she finds particularly
rewarding.
When not involved with tennis Nikki enjoys looking after her
garden, two young boys, three dogs and husband.

Michelle Hughes
Michelle has spent many years working in various libraries.
She worked at Newi/Yale College for 12 years and has spent
the last 5 years at Wrexham Public Library. She still remains
intrigued by the concept of helping people find information.
She lives with her husband, daughter and dog. Outside work
they are all devoted armchair supporters of Liverpool FC.
Michelle is also fond of gardening, foreign travel, food, wine
and, when forced, the great outdoors.
Bill Hutchings
Bill was born and brought up in Surrey where he attended
Epsom College, starting the term after Mr. Sampson left!
Following time as a Gap Student and a degree in PE and
Education from ‘Marjons’, his first post was as Head of PE in
a boys’ prep’ school in Buckinghamshire. After 11 years down
south he succumbed to the pull of Shropshire, moving to
Packwood Haugh to teach Maths and Games and then on to
Ellesmere as Head of Lower School in September 2007.
His main interests are music, travel, spending time with his
family, and most sports. In particular he enjoys athletics,
supporting Liverpool FC, golf and rugby. He used to referee
to quite a high standard and officiated in his early days at at
least two British Lions matches and at a Rosslyn Park final.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Nikki Martin-Jones
Nikki joined Ellesmere College at the beginning of October
2006, having previously held the position of School
Secretary at Cockshutt Primary School, where she is a
Governor. Nikki’s two girls attend Lower School and are
thoroughly enjoying themselves!
In her spare time Nikki and her family love sailing and
canoeing as well as camping and hiking, relishing every
opportunity to get into Wales – especially to Bala Lake. Nikki
enjoys travelling further afield, having spent 2 months in
Alaska on a British Schools Exploring Society expedition.
Nikki also enjoys the Arts whenever possible, especially the
ballet or musical productions.
Gareth Owen
Gareth has returned to Ellesmere College after a break of
almost 30 years. As a former pupil, he feels he owes a great
deal to the College for providing him with an excellent basis for
his academic, social and sporting development in his career as
a Physical Education teacher. Whilst at Ellesmere he was a
school prefect, a proud member of the first unbeaten 1st XV
rugby team (only recently equalled!), Vice-Captain of the 1st XI
cricket team, and he also managed to achieve a number of A
levels.
After obtaining his degree Gareth worked in both schools and
Further Education establishments as a teacher and a manager.
After 15 years in Yorkshire he returned to his home area of
Shropshire with a young family. Both his wife, Sharon (as a
teacher and Head of Middle School), and his two boys Alex and
Sam (pupils) are members of the College and are enjoying the
busy school environment. Thus, when he was offered the
chance to undertake some sports coaching and more recently
to become a Housemaster, he did not hesitate to accept the
opportunity to join the teaching staff at the College. After
spending 15 years in Physical Education Gareth finds it so
rewarding to undertake real coaching with committed pupils.
While actively involved in sport Gareth also has other interests,
including breeding thoroughbred racehorses and property
development.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Ian Roberts
Ian took the post of Teacher of Boys PE/Games in
September 2006, having previously worked for a year in
Gwynedd, North Wales as a supply teacher in several
Maintained schools. He did his degree at Staffordshire
University from 1999 to 2002, gaining a BA Hons Degree
in Sport, Recreation and Tourism and then a PGCE at
the University of Wales, Bangor from 2004 to 2005. Ian
has enjoyed playing sports since school, rugby being his
main sport, which he has played for 16 years. In that
time he has played for Gwynedd and North Wales. He
also enjoys other sports, such as football, squash,
swimming and golf. He looks forward to being the
Assistant Housemaster in St Patrick’s next year, as well
as the Head of Meynell House.
Suzanne Ryan
After studying a Joint Honours degree in History and
Geography at University College Dublin, Suzanne
decided she would like the experience of working and
studying abroad. She completed her PGCE in History
and Special Educational Needs at the University of
Wales, Aberystwyth. Suzanne teaches both History
and Geography at Ellesmere College. On the sporting
side she has become involved in swimming, teaching
Years 4, 5 and 6. From the age of 9 to 18 Suzanne
swam at competitive level, training before and after
school. Her involvement in this sport has enabled her to
travel to many foreign countries and she has also trained
with the Blue Wave swim team in Florida.
6
Debbie Smith
Debbie joined the College in June and hit the ground
running! This is the first time Debbie has worked in a
school. However, her previous roles working for British
Airways, BUPA and in particular 8 years as a Police
Officer in the Metropolitan Police Service, means she is
well-suited to the various challenges presented by life in
the College. She is married to Conrad, a serving Police
Officer, and has three wonderful children. They live in
the village of Kinnerley, having moved up from London 4
years ago.
Debbie’s hobbies include walking, reading, gardening
and DIY management!
Paul Swainson
Paul completed a Chemistry degree at Sheffield
University in 1992. He then spent a couple of years
working in the light engineering industry before Teacher
Training at Lancaster. After teaching around the North
Wales area for a few years, Paul spent a year setting
up a new chemical processing plant before returning to
teaching for a term prior to moving to Botswana. He was
the acting Head of Science at a small secondary school
in the Kalahari desert for 3 years before moving on to a
larger school for 17 – 22 year olds near the capital city.
When Paul came back to the UK in 2002, he returned to
teach at the school in Llangollen that he started from
before securing the post as a Maths Teacher at
Ellesmere.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

GAP STUDENTS

Christina Westwood Phil Hook

Having been born in the Netherlands, brought up in Germany Phil comes from Bombay, a small rural community on the
and resident in the heart of England since the age of 20, outskirts of Auckland. Phil’s interests are mostly sports which
Christina’s life has always had an international twist. include hockey, golf, cricket and rugby, as long as they are
Languages are her biggest interest in life, and a degree in followed by a few pints! Phil decided to take a Gap Year to
Business Enterprise from Wolverhampton University was explore the world outside NZ. Phil is enjoying Ellesmere
followed by a first enjoyable career as an Export Sales because it very much reminds him of home. When he returns
Manager, selling first DIY products and then soft toys from to NZ he will go on to study for a degree in Viticulture and
Spain to Sarawak. Christina completed a PGCE in Modern Oenology (grape growing, wine making and beer brewing).
Foreign Languages at Keele University and spent some years
teaching in the State Sector. She decided that an offer to
teach the IB German and French courses at Ellesmere
College was an excellent opportunity and joined the school in
January 2007. Christina looks forward to helping our Sixth
Formers appreciate some of the major works in German
literature, ranging from romantic poets to post-war novels, and
to teaching French to Lower School. She is also working on
some projects to share her love of languages and other
cultures with younger pupils throughout Ellesmere College.
When not teaching or preparing lessons, Christina likes to
spend all her time with her husband, Jonathan, and three
young children, Charlotte-Grace, Caroline-Alice and
Sebastian. Hobbies the family enjoys are various sports,
collecting books, hill walking, travelling in Europe and North
America, playing the piano, cooking for friends and family and Pippa Kranz
acting as a host family for a local School of English in Pippa Kranz came to Ellesmere from Canberra, Austrialia.
Shrewsbury.
After completing Year 12 at Canberra Girls Grammar School
she took a Gap Year in order to experience some
independence and take the opportunity to travel Europe. In
2008 Pippa plans to return to Canberra and study for a
Bachelor of Arts/Law degree at the Australian National
University.

Christianne Williams

Christianne joined Ellesmere College in January 2007 as

the Head of Reprographics. She was not new to College,
as she arrived in Ellesmere in September 2002 with her
family when her husband Ian started as Director of Sport.
Christianne used to run her own business after graduating
with a BSc Hons degree from Cheltenham. She gave this
up to become a full-time mum. Christianne enjoys keeping
fit and has run in several half-marathons. Christianne is
well-travelled and was brought up in Zambia, only returning
to the UK in her early teens. Tianna, her eldest daughter,
will join the College in September 2007.
7
Justine McCullagh
Justine has come from Pymble Ladies College in Sydney,
Australia to take advantage of the many opportunities that
being a Gap Student in England brings. Her enjoyment of
travelling was a main reason that she chose to take a Gap
Year and she has since travelled to a variety of places in the
UK and Europe. This year has allowed her a welcome break
from study after school and before she commences a
Commerce/Arts degree at Sydney University in 2008.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Introducing the Laundry Staff
Sally, Sue, Gail, Jean & Samantha
The Laundry is a busy and lively but happy place to work.
Each Boarding House has an appointed wash day where all
their clothes, bedding and sports kits are washed. The day
starts at 8.30 am and finishes at 3.30 pm during which time
the laundry is washed, dried, ironed and then sorted into
each individual pupil’s bundle.
Along with the pupils’ washing the Laundry also wash for
Sick Bay, kitchen, Masters and Gap Students.
There are five members of staff:
Sally Wilkie, the Laundry Supervisor, started in the Laundry
in the ironing room in January 1999. She took over as
Supervisor in September 2004 and now works in the wash
house. In her spare time Sally enjoys reading, and runs an
U16 Girls’ football team who play in the Shropshire Girls
League.
Samantha Northwood started in the laundry in August
2004. She works in the wash house, operating the washing
machines and folding the washing to take through to the
ladies in the ironing room. Sam also uses the machine that
presses the tablecloths and tea towels. Outside work
Samantha likes reading and watching sport.
Sue Dowdy started working at the College in October 2005
for 6 weeks as sick cover, and has stayed on. Sue irons the
shirts and sorts out the clothes to be returned to the Houses
at the end of the day. Outside work Sue’s four
grandchildren keep her busy.
Gail Shore started in the Laundry in August 2004 and helps
sort out the washing in the morning, scrubbing dirty shirt
collars, and then irons the shirts when they go through to the
ironing room. To finish the process Gail sorts the washing
into bundles at the end of the day. Gail's hobbies are
running, walking, acquafit and reading.
Jean Biggs has worked in the Laundry since October 2004.
Jean sorts the clean clothes into each pupil’s bundles, and
also helps out with the ironing. Outside work Jean’s hobbies
are reading, walking, watching TV and socialising.
8
Introducing the Cleaning Staff
Mandy, Ellie, Sue, Angela. Marleen, Rose, Ann, Jacky,
Janet & Joyce
Joyce Lindsey has been with the College for 13 years and
is the Cleaners’ Supervisor. In her spare time Joyce supplies
buffets and makes Birthday, Wedding and Christmas Cakes.
Before coming to the College Joyce worked in a bakery and
in the catering trade in Oswestry.
Sue Cooper has been at the College for three and a half
years and is responsible for cleaning the Art Centre, Library
and Sick Bay. Prior to joining the College Sue worked in a
factory assembling clocks. Outside work Sue’s hobbies are
knitting and gardening.
Ellie Ellis started at the College three and a half years ago
and is responsible for cleaning St Luke’s Boarding House.
Ellie has had a change of direction in coming to Ellesmere,
as she previously worked in an office. In her spare time Ellie
participates in charity walks and gymnastics.
Angela Pearson has recently joined the College and with
Ellie has responsibility for cleaning St Luke’s Boarding
House. Prior to coming to Ellesmere Angela worked at a
school as a Kitchen Assistant. Angela’s hobbies are Belly
Dancing and Keep Fit.
Mandy Williams started at the College in 2007 and has
responsibility for cleaning St Aidan’s Boarding House.
Coming to Ellesmere was a total career change for Mandy as
her previous role was as a spot welder. Mandy’s hobbies
include walking, shopping and bingo.
Rose Dean has recently started at the College and has
responsibility for cleaning St Cuthbert’s Boarding House and
the Chapel. Rose previously worked as a Care Assistant
locally. In her spare time Rose enjoys cycling, walking and
gardening.
Jacky Vagg has been at the College for 4 years and works
in several of the outer areas of the College. Previously Jacky
worked as a production worker. Jacky is a Shrewsbury Town
Football Club supporter and enjoys tennis and gardening.
Ann Jeffels has been with the College since March 2006
and is responsible for cleaning St Bede’s Boarding House.
Ann previously worked as a Housekeeper in a local public
house. In her spare time Ann enjoys gardening, reading and
sewing.
Marleen Williams has worked at the College for 3 years and
is responsible for cleaning St Patrick’s Boarding House.
Marleen had a career change when coming to the College,
having previously worked as a machinist in a factory. In her
spare time Marleen enjoys reading.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Speech Day 2007

The Headmaster’s Speech
Custos, Ladies and In the absence of the necessary documentation the Senior
Gentlemen, once again it Management Team was forced to rely on common sense
falls to me to be the warm- and good judgement, which may not be the way the
up act for the main business government would prefer things to be done, but it usually
of the presentation of prizes, works pretty well.
and to report on what I am On the subject of the government I thought I might talk about
pleased to say has been the latest initiative announced yesterday – funded to the tune
another successful and of £13.7m – to offer classes in social and emotional skills
exceptionally busy year in and good manners. As usual the intention is good but the
the life of the College. idea is fundamentally silly (and expensive): social and
emotional skills and good manners are not produced through
We started the year with a
lessons in classrooms but through developing the right
new Learning Support
culture.
department and new study
facilities for Middle School However, there is only so much time one can spend on
boys. New kitchens talking about government initiatives without losing the will to
followed at Christmas and live, so you will be spared my thoughts on the government’s
we survived storms strong plans.
enough to rip roofs off in The obvious theme for this speech, because it has become a
Brendan Wignall theme for the school, is the idea of change. Ellesmere has
the New Year. More
recently we have developed a look which – in architectural changed a great deal in my eleven years here. What has not
terms – might be called building-site chic. It has certainly changed, however, are our fundamental values of focusing
been a year of change. on developing the potential of all our pupils whatever that
potential might be, and being committed to a vision of
It has also been one of good fortune. The storms that hit the education that is vastly wider than that prevalent in most
College in January were remarkable and devastating in their schools. It is because we have clear values that we can
ferocity. Venerable trees uprooted, slate shrapnel falling from change, for we know what is important to preserve and what
the sky and the copper roof ripped off New Block in a way is amenable to change.
which would have led to certain deaths had anyone been in
Schools, particularly independent schools, are often
the classroom affected. The behaviour of the pupils during
profoundly conservative institutions that see change as a
the storm was exemplary, and as a result of following sign of weakness. Frankly, so far as I’m concerned that is
instructions and behaving sensibly no-one at all was hurt. fine and is to Ellesmere’s advantage. As the American
The day before the storm the College had been inspected as statistician and management theorist, W Edwards Deming
part of the Commission for Social Care Inspection cycle and once remarked, “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not
mandatory”.
If we look around the independent sector we see Heads
unable to introduce the International Baccalaureate – despite
its obvious benefits – because of staff resistance. Boys’
schools go co-educational, admittedly often for the ethically
dubious reason that such a move will prop up examination
results, and face rebellion amongst staff and governors.
A recent suggestion by the Institute of Public Policy
Research that pupils in Maintained schools would benefit
enormously if such schools were to develop programmes of
compulsory extra-curricular activities as part of a longer
school day (which is essentially the Ellesmere model) were
immediately dismissed by the General Secretary of the
National Association of Head Teachers. He remarked:
We need to get away from these threats. Putting
children in a kind of prison once a week will not go down
well with my colleagues. Who is going to take these
Storm Damage to New Block sessions? Why would anyone want to?
I’m not aware that Ellesmere pupils regard our extra-
we were pleased to show off our recently-updated
curricular programme as a kind of prison, and I suspect the
“Emergencies in College” documentation. The Inspectors real objection is the one based on the fact that additional
were appropriately impressed by its weight, thoroughness work for teachers might be a consequence of trying to
and practicality and asked if they could take a copy as it provide a genuinely broad education. And, of course, the
was such an excellent model of its kind. The copy was duly truth of the matter is that a proper education does involve a
handed over. As it was a sizeable document we had only serious commitment to an extra-curricular life and that entails
printed off the single copy for the Inspection, but handing it more work for teachers. Why would anyone want to do it?
over was no problem as it “lived” on the College network. Well, it’s enjoyable, life-enhancing and provides considerable
job satisfaction – but only if you’re the right sort of person.
I’m sure that the “Emergencies in College” guidance would
And, of course, that is the crux of the matter. Ellesmere is
have been very useful during the storm, but as the power
about producing the right sort of person, and that is achieved
supply went down and closed down the network at an early in part by my appointing the right sort of person to the
stage, we’ll never know. teaching staff.
9
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Ellesmere College is part of a larger charity, the Woodard
Corporation. A recent Finance Committee meeting of the
national charity took place at the College. From our point of
view we wanted to show them that we were spending money
sensibly, albeit very rapidly given our building programme
this year. From their perspective they were interested to find
out what was the “secret” of Ellesmere’s success, because
by the standards of independent schools in general we are –
for the moment – undoubtedly successful.
I was pushed to name one thing that had really mattered in
getting us to the position that we are in today. My answer
after some thought (because I don’t like being pinned down
to short answers) was that we had developed a capacity and
willingness to change that I had not encountered anywhere
else. As I have already remarked, this willingness to change
is based on the clear understanding that there are core
features that we will not compromise, but we are quite clear
that change is otherwise inevitable, healthy – and quite
interesting.
Of course, this answer begs the question “how do you get
into a position where change is natural”, and the answer to
that takes us back to the importance of people. To which
subject, I will return towards the end of this speech.
Sixth Form Conservatory
It has certainly been a lively year so far as developments are
concerned. In addition to the new kitchens already
mentioned we have benefited from the extension to the Sixth
Form Social Centre, the refurbishment of the tennis courts
and the complete refit of the Arts Centre lighting system.
These changes are based on healthy pupil numbers: against
the national and local trends pupil numbers at the College
rose from 490 to 550 last year. As a result of this, further
investment has been possible – as can be seen from the
various building sites around the College.
Part of the new roof being put in place
10
September will see the completion of a classroom extension
to the Biology Department; the completion of the sports
complex with the enclosing of the pool and the refitting of the
weights and fitness room; an extension to St Oswald’s
House; and the conversion and extension of the Nankivell
Block to make a new Sixth Form Boys’ House to be called St
Luke’s. These are busy times, and all the better for it.
Conversion of Nankivell to St. Luke’s House
As ever at this time of year the thought of academic results
sees us looking forward rather than back. However, it is
worth remembering last summer’s results. At A level the
pass rate was 98.6% with 19 of the 21 subjects examined
achieving 100% pass rates; 40% of the grades were at the
top A and B level. As ever, however, the most important
thing is that the students concerned achieved their academic
potential, whatever that might be. I am pleased to report that
the overwhelming majority of university candidates achieved
their first, or sometimes their second, choice of university,
which is a tribute to their hard work and to the care taken by
them and their tutors at the university application stage.
There was the usual diversity of course and destination
evident. All our candidates for Medicine achieved their
places as did our candidates for Law, to name two particular
courses with demanding entry requirements. Geographically
the destinations of last year’s Ellesmerians range from
Princeton, New Jersey to St Andrews to Loughborough, and
courses covered a wide range including Hebrew and Jewish
Studies, Politics, Civil Engineering and Motorsport
Technology.
Of the A level candidates, special mention should go to
Matthew White, who showed outstanding academic ability
throughout his Ellesmere career. He successfully completed
6 A Level courses, and amongst his 4 A grades the marks he
received for Electronics were a remarkable 600 out of 600,
which – unsurprisingly – made him the top performer in the
country for that subject.
At GCSE not far off 10% of our students achieved a full set
of A* and A grades, and the majority of our GCSE
candidates are now successfully embarked upon Sixth Form
courses here at Ellesmere. It is worth noting that over the
last few years what is called the “retention rate” at GCSE
level – the number of students staying on from GCSE to the
Sixth Form – has been exceptionally high here. In most
independent schools retention can be a real struggle, but
Ellesmere is unusual in having very few leavers following
GCSE and a large number of new pupils joining, which leads
to a very healthy Sixth Form. This year even fewer students
are set to leave following their GCSEs than last year, with
even more planning to join us – hence the building
programme.

Beyond the GCSE and A level results there have
been particular successes in such activities as the
UK Mathematical Challenge – with Golds achieved
at Senior and Junior level; the Physics Olympiad and
the Biology Olympiad. Credit goes to Jake Asplin
who was Best in School for the Maths Challenge and
the Biology Olympiad.
The Salters Festival oft Chemistry at Liverpool
University saw a team of Year 8 pupils finish second
out of 30 teams competing in tasks which included
tests of their forensic chemistry and problem-solving
skills.
The English Speaking Board examinations – in
which the College has a long and distinguished
record – saw a bumper crop of excellent Sixth Form
results, with over 70% of the candidates achieving
either Distinction or top Merit grades. Especially
noteworthy is the fact that for the first time the School
has entered their International Baccalaureate
overseas students for the English first language version of the
examination and many of those students managed to achieve
the highest grades.
Not exactly an academic activity in terms of exams passed or
grades achieved, Public Speaking at the College has been a
real strength this year. Hadleigh Roberts, Chris Bevan and
David Anders-Richards travelled to Blackburn to take part in the
Business and Professional Women’s Public Speaking
Competition Northwest Region Final. The boys were the
winners of the first County round, held in Oswestry in
November 2006. There they beat off Oswestry School, Moreton
Hall and Thomas Telford School.
In Blackburn they took on the might of students from other
Northwest schools, Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe Royal
Grammar and Kirkham Grammar School. I understand that the
standards set in the competition were extremely high with all
pupils from all four schools performing outstandingly. However,
the Ellesmere College trio came out on top. Chris Bevan’s
speech, “Does Violent Entertainment Make For A Violent
Society?” won him the accolade of Best Speaker and Hadleigh
Roberts succeeded as Best Chair and overall they won Best
Team. David Anders-Richards won the Best Expresser of
Thanks in the previous round.
Academic activities have as ever been supplemented by a
range of academic trips. Year 9 and 10 Historians undertook
the customary biennial expedition to the site of the D-Day
landings in Normandy, with the Sixth Form Historians benefiting
from a visit to Venice earlier in the year. The GCSE Media
Studies trip to Euro-Disney (I’m assured this is a study trip) was
as popular as last year and there were a range of trips and
expeditions within the UK, including Geography fieldwork at the
Stiperstones and Classical Studies to Cirencester, Bath and
Wroxeter.
Of course, what might be regarded as “the big news” on the
academic front this year would be the introduction of the
International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, usually
referred to as the IB. The recently revised UCAS tariff for
university entrance purposes sets the top grade achievable at
the IB as being equivalent to six and a half grade As at A level.
The IB is undoubtedly a demanding course – but also an
interesting and stimulating one – but its introduction fits in
perfectly with the College philosophy of offering each student
the best opportunity to achieve his or her full potential.
11
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
2006 Intake of IB Students
Whereas A levels involve the study of three or four subjects, the
IB requires six subjects to be studied, supplemented by a
course in the Theory of Knowledge – which benefited recently (if
that is the right description) from my thoughts on Plato’s
Philosophy of Art – and the requirement to produce a long
essay. The long essay is a particularly interesting feature of the
course, with the best of them equivalent to something
resembling first year university standard.
The subjects chosen for this year’s long essays range from the
Trial of Saddam Hussein, through Scientology and Migration
into Hong Kong, to the Viscosity of Engine Oil: so most of the
titles are interesting.
One striking by-product of the introduction of the IB is the range
of venues in which the training of College teachers is held. Prior
to the IB, a good training venue might be regarded as
somewhere in London, with the majority of courses in
Birmingham, Manchester or Cardiff. In contrast Ellesmere
teachers have undertaken IB training in the last year or so in
Doha, Bahrain, Shanghai, Athens, Lyon and Oxford. I am
assured that the training is very intensive and there is little time
for relaxation.
The Arts programme continues to strengthen from an already
strong position and the Arena Arts programme, emphasising
excellence in the visual, media and Performing Arts is beginning
to provide a further coherence and drive that can only bode well
for the future in this area. As ever the annual House Play
Festival provides the launch of the Senior Drama programme
and – as ever – it proved to be hugely entertaining.
The long-standing tradition of the GCSE Drama group
producing a Christmas Pantomime for the staff children’s
Christmas Party has developed into something more ambitious
and accomplished, and this year’s pantomime, Peter Pan, also
played to appreciative audiences from Lower School and local
primary schools. The run-up to Christmas also saw a very
accomplished Lower School Christmas Show from the younger
years in Lower School. The main Lower School production,
James and the Giant Peach, proved an accomplished
adornment to the Spring Arts programme.
The BBC Shakespeare Festival production of Much Ado About
Nothing played to appreciative audiences at the College, but the
Festival itself was cancelled as a result of the extreme bad
weather prevalent at the time. Staying with festivals and
competitions, we were pleased that Ruckus in the Garden, the
College’s entry to the National Theatre’s Connections
programme, was – for the third year in succession – chosen for
performance at the Lowry Theatre in Salford. At an individual
level congratulations go to Year 11 students Harry Craig and
David Anders-Richards, who have been selected to develop
their skills with the National Youth Theatre this summer.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Of course, acting is no longer the preserve solely of the
stage. Film-making has flourished this year and the output
has been various and of high-quality, ranging from clay
animation to surrealist comedy and realist drama. Arising out
of the film-making programme has been the epic action
thriller, CJ Simmons: Elite Mercenary, a one hour 20 minute
blockbuster edited down from 15 hours of filming. Chris
Bevan, Hadleigh Roberts and Alex Burley masterminded this
real achievement, ably assisted by a cast of 35 pupils. We’re
hopeful that there will be a public screening at the Old
Market Hall in Shrewsbury over the summer.
Two years ago I was able to report – with some justified
pride, I feel – that 60 teams had represented the College in
30 sports. It is a measure of continued progress that this
year over 80 teams have represented the College in over 30
sports. Volleyball and golf have been added to the House
competitions list, and will be followed next year by swimming
and water polo. Archery was introduced into the Lower
School programme for the first time this year.
Rugby continues to go from strength to strength. The 1st XV
enjoyed their second undefeated season in a row, despite
the further strengthening of the fixture list. The Senior
Sevens side had an outstanding season without actually
winning a trophy. They entered four major competitions,
losing to the winners in three of the tournaments and to the
defeated finalists at Rosslyn Park. During the Sevens season
they beat significant teams from Millfield, Cheltenham,
Christ’s Brecon, Marlborough, Ampleforth, Warwick,
Bromsgrove and Colston’s.

C J Simmons: Elite Mercenary

On a musical front we have had our best crop of Associated

Board examination results for several years. Luke Taylor in
Year 7 and Lower Sixth Former Michael Langton won their
solo violin classes at this year’s Oswestry Music Festival,
with the Lower School and Chapel Choirs finishing as Stephen Bannister
runners up in their respective categories. Luke featured
14 College rugby players were selected for the level above
again at the Chester Festival when he and Paddy Fuller won
County standard: with Sam Lewis, James Lloyd, Nat
the violin duet class, and were awarded the Brown’s of
Thomas, Adam Churton, Ben Morris, Rhys Hayes, Chris
Chester Plate – the first time the judges have felt a pair
Morgan, Alex Dunn, Danny Matthews, James Farrell, Steven
worthy of receiving the award in the last three years.
Bannister and Mark Pearson selected for the North Midlands
and Aled Ellis and Joel Galley selected for North Wales. Of
those selections this year’s 1st XV Captain, Stephen
Bannister, is already playing professional Rugby League for
Warrington Wolves Under 21 side. Sam Lewis last year was
chosen to play for the England U16B Team and more
recently has been chosen to join the Worcester Academy
Elite Player Development Group.

Luke Taylor Michael Langton

The College Choral Society performed Masses and music

from Mozart and Haydn in conjunction with members of
Ludlow Choral Society in one of the most successful events
for the Choral Society for many years.
The House Singing Festival produced a lively evening of
Disney-themed music, notable for considerable effort and
energy – and occasional accuracy. The same can be said for
the two “Battle of the Bands” evenings, with June featuring a
record 12 bands taking part from across the full age range of
the school. Sam Lewis
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Danny Matthews achieved the distinction of captaining the The Summer, such as it has been, has seen cricket fixtures
Senior Whitchurch Rugby Club Men’s team to victory in the more notable for their cancellations than anything else.
Shropshire Cup. In addition to the selections at North There were several County selections for Cheshire and
Midlands and North Wales there were numerous County Shropshire, although the most notable cricketing
selections; on that front a special mention must go to the achievement at an individual level was that of the Head of
U14 side, which produced eleven players for their County Girls’ Games, Miss Helen Goss, who was selected to play for
age group side. Wales in a Four Nations Womens’ Indoor Cricket
The high quality of rugby coaching has long been recognized Tournament held in Johannesburg.
at Ellesmere, and the support College staff give to rugby
beyond the College is significant, both at club and County
and Regional selector level over the years. Particular
congratulations should go to Mr Ian Williams, who has been
selected to become the lead coach for the Midlands U16
team for next season; this is a great accolade as there are
only four lead coaches at this level in England, and this level
is the one immediately below the National side coaching
positions.

Successful Tennis Players

Tennis is no longer just a summer sport and it has been an

exceptional year for the sport at the College. The North
Shropshire U13 Boys’ and Girls’ singles, U13 Boys’ and
Girls’ doubles, U15 Girls’ doubles and U19 Boys’ doubles
titles were all won for the College. The runners-up place
Emma Johnson was achieved in the U15 Girls’ singles competition.
Particular mention should go to Year 8 pupil, Christian
The Girls’ hockey teams produced six County players, and
Cieslik, who played – and played a significant part – in the
sixteen-year-old Emma Johnson had trials for the Wales
U18 side. A very young 1st XI won over half their games successful U19 team. The Girls’ Senior team were finalists
and will stay together and get stronger next year. The in the Aberdare Cup, and at time of speaking the U13 team
Junior A team (Years 9 & 10) won every match, scoring 45 have yet to play the County final. At a normal fixture level
goals and conceding only one. The U14 side won the North the 1st team was undefeated, as were the U13 team, while
Shropshire Tournament, with the U16s and U13s finishing the U15/U14 team lost only one match.
as runners up. Beyond the team events there were also considerable
The Lent term sport programme saw the girls win the U14 successes. Rhodri Fieldhouse was selected to play golf for
North Shropshire Netball Tournament, and there were good the Boys’ U16 Welsh side. Fifteen-year-old George Tatchell
seasons for both the U14 and U15 sides, who lost only one has been with the England canoeing team for 3 years. This
game each. Football continues to progress with the greatest year he was selected for the First U17 Single Canadian
number of teams fielded since the sport was reintroduced. category and was selected to represent Great Britain as
“top boat” at the Pre-
Worlds event – a
warm-up for the Junior
World Championships
next year – in the
Czech Republic this
Summer. Travel has
been a feature of
George’s life this year
as he has already
trained or raced in
Athens and Slovenia,
and later in the
Summer will race at
Bratislava in the
Danube Cup.

U14 Netball Team Rhodri Fieldhouse

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Last month he won the Single Canadian category in the U16
British Championships, which means he has been British
Champion in his age group for the last three years.
Range refurbishment has somewhat limited shooting this
year, but it continues to be an exceptionally strong activity at
the College. The refurbishment enforced a greater use of air
rifles and this has given us the opportunity to unearth a rich
vein of talent that bodes very well for the future. In Lower
School ten-year-old Jacob Roberts was accepted into the
Welsh Air Rifle squad within two months of starting shooting.
Guy Cooper and Ryan Williams have been training with the
Welsh Air Rifle Squad, and Andrew Main and Richard
Belcher are in the Great Britain Junior Squad and are
competing in their first international match this summer. In
the Senior School Matthew Steggles has been training with
the Welsh shooting squad. The range refurbishment will be
completed over the summer, and things look very bright for
the future.
The Adventurous Training side of the College continues to
flourish, and the three-day expedition programme earlier this
week was, I understand, successful and enjoyable despite
the grim weather. This year has seen a new Adventurous
Training programme introduced for Year 9 students, which I
know has prepared them well for the wider range of choice
they face in Year 10.
George Tatchell
The most significant event for the CCF this year was the
Biennial Inspection, conducted by Group Captain Paul
Cunningham, current Station Commander at RAF Shawbury.
Good use was made of the Group Captain’s mode of
transport: the helicopter he arrived in was pressed into
service and over 30 cadets took the opportunity to take Air
Experience Flights during the period of the Inspection.
I am pleased to say that Group Captain Cunningham’s report
on the CCF was extremely positive. He was particularly
impressed by the way in which the senior pupils offered
positive guidance and role models to the younger members
of the contingent:
. . . the high priority given to the development of
leadership skills is particularly admirable. The
confidence promoted through the medium of senior
cadets teaching their juniors . . . reflect great credit
on the quality of the instructors at all levels.
14
Group Captain Cunningham goes on rightly to praise Mr
Hutchinson’s leadership of the CCF and comment on how he
is fortunate to lead such a strong team of officers. Strictly
speaking, I would have to disagree with this judgement: the
success of the CCF and the strength of the team running it is
not a matter of good fortune but rather one of hard work,
intelligence and attention to detail. It is not Mr Hutchinson
that is fortunate, but the members of the College who benefit
from the three branches of the CCF.
Helicopter landing on Parry’s Field
Of course, the Adventurous Training element is not confined
to the CCF. The Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and Gold
groups continue to thrive. This year saw 13 Ellesmerians
receive their Gold Awards, something of a bumper crop. Last
year’s Gold Award expedition, canoeing in France, was a
great success despite pretty foul weather and constant rain. I
am sure that Mrs McCarthy and her team are hoping for
something better this year, although the auguries are not
good.
Last Summer’s World Challenge expedition to Borneo saw
three College pupils take part in a jungle survival course,
climb the second highest mountain in South East Asia,
spend ten days on a community project clearing a lake and
making footpaths and bridges and visit an Orang Utang
sanctuary. They also managed to fit in three days’ very well-
earned rest and relaxation on a desert island.
Five College pupils took part in the Nordic Challenge during
the Lent Half Term. The trip included a visit to Lillehammer
and The Olympic Stadium where the Ellesmere team
participated in a biathlon challenge which included skiing and
rifle shooting. In the evening the group had the opportunity to
toboggan down floodlit tracks. Following much practice, the
team all achieved their Bronze Nordic Skiing Certificate and
one pupil, Harriet Devonald, won the prize for the fastest
female novice skier around a 5 kilometre course.
The College’s Green Team continues to develop and
strengthen. This year it has been busy compost-building,
hedge-planting and tree-planting (with 70 trees planted this
year). The Team has established a wildlife area and installed
a sizeable number of bird and bat boxes. To supplement the
practical environmental action of the Green Team,
approximately £2000 was raised by members of Lower
School towards various environmental good causes.
It has indeed been a very busy year for College pupils – it
always is. However, Ellesmere College is a wider community
than simply the pupil body. The Old Ellesmerians have had a
similarly very busy year. It kicked off with a Festival which
attracted well over 500 people to a series of sports matches,
including a quite brutal OE Under 30s v OE Over 30s rugby
match. Netball, hockey and five-a-side football fortunately
didn’t add to the injury tally, and the Choral Workshop was
similarly free from injury. A Chapel Service, champagne
reception and supper rounded off the event. There will be a
lower key – but I am sure enjoyable – OE sporting event in
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

early September next term. The Under 30s v Over 30s fixture outlined. The sheer scale of activity and the quality of that
will be repeated, so we can look forward to more bloodshed. activity is the best possible tribute to the industriousness and
As ever, there have been the usual well-supported dinners dedication of the College staff.
this year, with events in Jersey, Manchester, Liverpool, Our facilities are great; we are spending significantly to make
Ludlow, Oswestry Golf Club, Pembrokeshire and Paris. The them even better; and in the future we will improve them
Paris OE Dinner took place in the Inter-Allies Club, a further still. But, in the end, it is not the facilities that matter: it
splendid venue that was once part of the British Embassy. is the people. As I remarked some time ago – at the
Old Ellesmerians were also strongly in evidence at the beginning of this report on the year – Ellesmere’s current
College’s Remembrance Service in November, and many success is based on the rich resource provided by its
stayed on for lunch afterwards. teaching staff, who do a fantastic job and to whom I am very
It is undoubtedly true that former College pupils stay in touch grateful indeed.
with each other and with the College much more than is the I am pleased to report that one aspect of change which does
case in most schools. Indeed if formal activity is anything to not apply to a great degree this year is teaching staff
go by, the Old Ellesmerian community must be one of the turnover. Although we will welcome seven new members of
most vigorous in the country. The typical Headmaster speaks staff in September, no full-time member of staff leaves us at
at one or two Dinners a year; in contrast the OEs are the end of this term. This is the first time in 11 years that I
undoubtedly fortunate to have the chance to hear me speak have seen this circumstance: I must be getting easier to work
half a dozen times, and the unfortunate President of the Club for.
has the dubious pleasure of hearing what has to be
essentially the same speech – as it is primarily a news Although this is not a goodbye, I must not let Mrs Fox’s
update – six times. This year the Old Ellesmerians celebrate departure from the role of Housemistress of St Oswald’s go
a welcome “first” with the election of Miss Annie Grainger to unremarked. Mrs Fox has cared for the girls of St Oswald’s
the role of OE President. Miss Grainger left Ellesmere in for the last three years – and “cared for” is definitely the right
1988, when it was very much a boys’ school with a few girls; phrase. She hands over a very happy House to Mrs Purcell,
things have changed considerably since then, of course. and I am sure that the members of St John’s House will
benefit enormously from her commitment as she joins that
The continued links with former Ellesmerians is one of the pastoral team.
many pleasures of my job; I am pleased, but not particularly
surprised, that OEs keep in touch. If we are successful in Although no full-time staff members are leaving, we do say
preparing people for adult life as one of our clear aims (and goodbye to three people appointed just for the year and one
an aim that is much stronger and more genuine at Ellesmere part-time teaching colleague, all of whom have enriched the
than most schools) it is hardly a surprise if the College life of the College in a variety of ways.
continues to be relevant once Ellesmerians move into adult life.
The College community does not just include pupils and
former pupils, however. Parents – both past and present –
are very much a part of the Ellesmere family and are valued
as such. In many schools parents are tolerated as a financial
and biological necessity, but otherwise seen as a bit of a
nuisance. I hope it is fair to say that we have a much more
positive approach.
The College Parents’ Society is a particularly valued group.
This year’s Parents’ Society picnic was – like so many things
in the Summer Term – cancelled because of the weather.
However, the excellent Christmas Ball – the best yet – saw
the organisational skills of members of the Society at their
best. Beside these headline events, members of the Parents’
Society provide strong support at various events such as the
tennis tournaments, Sports Day, Open Day, and the splendid
floral displays in ante-Chapel, Reception and – I am pleased
to say – my office are all a consequence of the hard work of
members of the Parents’ Society.
Maura Van Voris
I have spoken of pupils, former pupils and parents, but at the
heart of any school is the teaching staff and – to extend the In September Maura Van Voris comes to the end of her year
metaphor – Ellesmere is blessed with a very strong heart. as a Gap Student at the College. Maura joined us from Tabor
It is perhaps worth pausing and reflecting on the length of Academy, Massachussetts, with which the College has long-
this speech. I don’t believe that its length is a consequence standing drama exchange links. Maura has contributed to
of long-windedness on my part (although that may well be a many aspects of school life, but most notably to the Choir
fault); it is clearly a consequence of the fact that Ellesmere is and to the Drama programme, both as an extremely useful
an incredibly busy school (and it is difficult to over- supporter and as a performer. Her one woman show, Girl
emphasise just how busy it is). The very wide range of extra- Interrupted, was a great success and I am sure that the next
curricular activities and the excellent academic results for all stage of Maura’s career will be similarly successful.
our pupils, not just our academic high-flyers, are managed
and achieved by what is, for a school of our sort, an entirely
normal number of teaching staff.
The vast majority of the extremely high-quality activities – of
which I have charted only the highlights here – are delivered
not by specialists in those activities, but by classroom
teachers with enthusiasm who have taken the trouble to get
themselves appropriately qualified and experienced so that
they can deliver the programmes that I have already

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Dinesh Makhija
Dinesh Makhija has spent his year in industry at
Ellesmere within the ICT Department as part of his
studies for an MSc in Computer Science. Dinesh is
highly regarded by the Common Room as he is often
the solution to their problems – at least so far as
computers are concerned. I am sure that he is leaving
the College a better-trained troubleshooter than when
he arrived, as most of the things that can go wrong with
an IT infrastructure appear to have done just that at
Ellesmere this year. His enthusiastic contribution to
staff sports will also be missed. Dinesh does not
actually leave us until September, so he should be a
real expert in idiosyncratic networks by then.
Tao Hong
Tao Hong joined us from Jiang-su Province in mainland
China where she teaches English in a boarding school.
At Ellesmere she has been an excellent academic and
pastoral support to our Chinese students, and has
taught Mandarin in Lower School, where her work has
proved so popular there has been an enthusiasm for
study continuing beyond her departure. She has
worked closely with Mrs Morgan to support her class in
Lower School, and I know that the pupils with whom
she has worked will miss her greatly. Tao Hong has
also been an essential part of the Library team, an
integral part of the College’s Green Team, and the
qualities of conscientiousness and a caring attitude
have typified her approach to life at Ellesmere.
16
Fiona Turner
Mrs Fiona Turner first came to Ellesmere to work as a
member of the Learning Support department in April
2001 and stayed with us until 2005, when she joined her
husband on his sabbatical, which took her from Rome to
Keele University. Fiona rejoined us in April 2006. Her
knowledge, humour and wisdom have been much
appreciated by students and staff alike and she leaves
us with all our best wishes for the future.
I hope you will join me in applauding our leaving staff for
all they have done for the College.
Ellesmere is seen by some of my fellow Heads as a
lucky school. We are lucky because we manage to
attract staff to support the full range of activities at a time
when other independent schools are cancelling fixtures
with us because they cannot get teachers to take the
teams.
We are lucky because the International Baccalaureate
has been such a success in its first year of introduction.
We are lucky because – in truth – we do not really have
any competitors: true, there are many other schools in
the marketplace, but there is no-one in our area truly
attempting to deliver an education based on a vision
similar to ours.
And the truth of the matter is that we are lucky.
However, there is a Spanish phrase which sums up
things rather well: “Luck is in love with hard work”; and if
we are lucky then the hard work of the teachers and
pupils is the foundation for that luck, and we deserve our
good fortune.
I am certainly lucky to be working in this wonderful
environment with the pupils, staff, parents, governors
and Old Ellesmerians. I am confident that – in terms of
Headmastering – there is no-one luckier, and I thank
everyone for the support they give to me: you are all a
pleasure to work with.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Prize List 2007

Year 7 Georgina Ottaway Art Lower Sixth Sophie Mullock Art
Joachim Pescod English Johannes Beil Biology, Geography, History,
Mark McBrien French International Baccalaureate
Joseph Haigh Geography Bryan Tang Business Studies
John Paul History, Latin, Mathematics, Science James McBrien Chemistry, Physics
Adam Churton Design & Technology
Year 8 Jennifer Griffiths Art Albrecht Zu- Economics, Spanish
Freya West English, Mathematics, Science Knyphausen
Michael Kelly French William Bartlett English
William Jackson Geography Zehra Aydin English as an Additional Language,
James Brockless History French
Victoria von Hoven Latin Hal Collison General Studies
Kim Saltzgeber German
Year 9 Viola Grosvenor Art
Nathaniel Thomas Information Technology
James Leahy Biology, Classical Civilisation,
English, History, Latin, Religious Cedric Carl Mathematics
Studies Rachel Harrison Music
Dominick Chemistry, Drama James King PE
Coppinger Joseph Denham Politics
George Baxter Design & Technology, Mathematics Katie Brereton Sociology
Oliver Thomas French
Douglas Allsop Geography
Upper Sixth Sarah-Jane Beswick Art
Megan Bray Design Graphic Communicatons Jake Asplin Biology
Joseph Cauchi Information Technology, Physics
Sarah-Jane Edwards Business Studies, Sociology
Paddy Fuller Music
William Norris Chemistry, Physics
Year 10 Charlotte Keeble Art Laura Bernhofer Design & Technology
Joshua Boswell Biology, Chemistry, English, Drama Sarah Monro English, Latin
Christopher von Business Studies Pittawas English as an Additional Language
Hoven Tulathummatorn
Freddie Herzog French Hadleigh Roberts French, Performing Arts
Rebecca Britton Geography Christopher Bevan General Studies, Media Studies
Christopher Design Graphic Communications Sarah Haynes Geography, History
Johnson
Henry Fletcher- Information Technology
Zoe Haynes History Brewer
Martin Jones Information Technology, PE Candy Yang Mathematics
Rowan Dell Latin, Spanish
Toby Dell Music
Joseph Dapling Mathematics, Physics
Sam Clewlow Media Studies, Music Richard Oliver PE
James Jarvis Government and Politics
Year 11 Stephanie Platt Art John Brodie Spanish
David Anders- Biology, English, Physics Iain Disspain James Merrick Cup, The Woodard
Richards Board Prize
Colin Fergusson Business Studies, Chemistry Special Prizes Sarah-Jane Beswick Art
Amber Lewis- Classical Civilisation Chloe Perkins Drama
Bolton
Harry Craig Services to Drama
Marco Li English as an Additional Language
David Morris French, Spanish Rhys Hayes Keith Smith Historical Essay
James Norman Geography, Mathematics Sarah Haynes Jebson Shield
Todd Evans Design Graphic Communications Freddie Herzog Lovel Prize for English Literature
Grace Kendall History, Drama Michael Langton Instrumental Music
Cristian Lewis Information Technology Hal Collison Garnett Prize for Creative Music
Catherine Wignall Media Studies Pittawas Services to the Choir, Contribution to
Benny Lau Music Tulathummatorn the International Life of the College
Aidan Porter PE
Toby Dell Marsh Cup for Musician of the Year
Tessa Fawcett Religious Studies
James Norman GCSE Science Courework Prize
Cedric Carl Talbot/Woodard Science Prize
Steven Quinlan Talbot/Woodard Science Prize
Oliver Suckley Colin Russell Prize for Endeavour in
Biology
Jake Asplin Mark Willis Science Prize
Christopher Bevan Gedhill O.E. Prize for Leadership,
Initiative and Excellence
Sarah-Jane Edwards The Old Ellesmerian President's Cup
Martin Jones The Evans Cup for ICT
Abigail Merrill Sportswoman of the Year,
Headmaster's Prize: Head Girl
Stephen Bannister Sportsman of the Year
Charles Cooper Headmaster's Prize: Head Boy

17
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

House Notes - Meynell

Well done girls and I know Talbot were very fed up. In
Housemaster: spite of playing fantastically and with true spirit, the
Dr. J. K. Ripley Seniors did not win but their points were enough for us to
finish second overall. Special thanks to Carys Fieldhouse
House Tutors: who was goalkeeper for both teams.
Mr. R. P. Boswell, Mr. P. J. Hayes, Mr. S. B. Mullock, The Boys’ rugby was certainly the highlight of the
Mrs. S. Owen, Mrs. E. Phillips, Mrs. S. Phillips, competitive year for me and Sarah Jane. The Juniors
D.. I. G. Tompkins, Mr. I. L. Williams performed very well and were too strong for the other
teams, so provided the first victory of the afternoon. After
Captains of House: much controversy about the eligibility of players in the
Stephen Bannister & Sarah Jane Edwards Intermediates we were unlucky not to repeat the victory of
the Juniors. The climax of the afternoon was the final
match of the Senior Boys which we simply had to win. It
The year began with the appointment of Sarah Jane Edwards was so important to all of the Year 13 boys, especially the
and Stephen Bannister as House Captains. Throughout the House Captain Stephen Bannister and Vice Captain
busy year they worked tirelessly and were invaluable to me. Charles Bushnell. The first half was very evenly matched
From the first assembly we were picking teams for the Inter- and by then we on the sidelines were already speechless,
House 6-a-side soccer. There were Boys’ and Girls’ teams but it took a turn for the worst in the second half as we fell
and Seniors and Juniors, and Meynell competed tremendously behind. It was a huge achievement to come back in the
in ALL matches. The Senior Boys won their competition but I last few minutes and clinch the victory. There were tears
think all who watched the Junior Girls recognised the new and hugs all round. The quality of the play seen was
sparkling talent in the house! Zoë, Mel, Carys and Vick all put discussed in the Common Room bar for a while
in some fantastic performances. The Junior Boys played well afterwards. It is fitting that some of the team had never
and the Senior Girls after much reluctance actually enjoyed been defeated in rugby whilst wearing a Meynell shirt! A
themselves too! fantastic achievement.
As a new way to welcome pupils entering the House in Year 9 The Carol Service was well attended by Meynell House
the House Captains and I took the pupils for a night of tenpin parents which was very good to see. Thank you for your
bowling in Shrewsbury. A very enjoyable evening was had by support. We also ended the term in the lead in the
all. Special mention goes to George Cave who was the Academic Cup.
champion bowler, Dominick Coppinger who managed to come The Lent term continued to prove both busy and
back still in bowling shoes and Dr Tompkins for driving the successful for the House. We had some great
second minibus. performances in the Boys’ Basketball Competition. A big
House Drama was produced by Hadleigh Roberts who worked thank you to Bryn Tang for his captaincy and for leading
incredibly hard to get the cast for Ben Elton's Gasping to learn his team by example. We were victorious in the Senior
their lines in time. He certainly has more patience and talent Competition but also competed very well in the Juniors.
than I do. With just days to go it was looking likely to be a House Singing really is a big part of the Lent term and
disaster but with Hadleigh’s dedication it all came together on many hours of practice were put in. This year’s theme
the night. Well done to Sarah Lowe, Mike Langton, Steph was Disney classics and we scheduled I just can’t wait to
Perrin and Charlie Butt who performed well. In light of all of be King for our House Unison. Sarah Jane was also the
his hard work Hadleigh Roberts was awarded his Senior driving force behind all of the rehearsals and without her
House Colours. In recognition for many contributions to House we would have been awful. As usual every single
events Charles Bushnell and Rob Simms were also awarded member of the House got fully involved and contributed to
Senior House Colours. a great performance. Rhian Davies deserves a special
Michaelmas Term saw the mention for the sheer gusto she performed with. The less
introduction of a stars system to I say about the judging
recognise academic the better. The Part
achievement. A board to display Song was a polished
the House tallies was placed performance but again
above the door to Big School. failed to find favour with
the judge. I think all
The academic members of the members of the House
House excelled themselves and performed fantastically.
by the end of the first half of Well done.
term we were leading the way
House Cross Country
with 594 points, comfortably
was popular as ever!
ahead of our nearest rivals
The Junior Girls were
Talbot.
their ever-willing selves
Of course the focus of all and ran well. Well done
attention in the run-up to the as well to James Haigh
end of term was the Girls’ who stepped into the
hockey and the Boys’ rugby. Inters team and
With weigh-ins and a massive represented the House
hype the matches loomed. w el l. Ot h ers were
Our new super Juniors s l i g h t l y l e s s
played their socks off and enthusiastic but your
won as a result of more goals participation was
scored. Sarah Jayne Edwards & Stephen Bannister holding the Academic Cup hugely appreciated.
18

The House Dinner was well_supported by parents and
proved to be a very enjoyable evening. I’m sure a lot of
pupils enjoyed the sight of 3 people getting very nervous and
stressed over their speeches! Thank you to those parents
who were able to support the evening and I hope you can
come again next year.
Meynell House Dinner
Rhodri Fieldhouse deserves special mention not only for
captaining his Meynell team to victory in the House Golf but
also for his selection for the Welsh U16 team. A great
achievement. Well done Rhodri.
19
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Summer term without stress is something which never
seems to exist. Years 11 and 13 had a lot to contend with,
with exams and supporting the House. House Debating was
a very notable occasion at both Junior and Senior level. The
Juniors did well but failed to convince the judges of their
argument but the Seniors did and progressed to the final.
Captained by Hadleigh Roberts, who was
thorough in his research, the Seniors put up a
thorough performance with brilliant backing from
Richard Oliver and Andrew Walker. It is so much
to his credit that Andrew was competing in his
second language! We ended up coming second
to Talbot which was questionable as their science
was factually incorrect at times! Andrew Walker
was awarded his Half Colours for his excellent
effort.
Sports Day is undoubtedly the highlight of the
Summer term and this year it was un-blighted by
rain. The conventional format was a blessing for
some and one who deserved his success was our
House Captain Stephen Bannister. Stephen
competed against all of the advice of his
professional rugby physios and went on to be
crowned Victor Ludorum. A fitting end to the
year.
I conclude with my humble thanks to Sarah Jane
Edwards and Stephen Bannister who were
unforgettable Captains and without whom I could
not have got through the year. I wish every
success to Ian Roberts who takes over as Head of House and
the new House Captains Pippa Ricketts and Rob Coates.
Long may the “Cheese” roll on!
KJR
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

House Notes - Talbot

In the rugby, the Juniors made a slow start, but kept on
Housemaster: working at it until the end. The Inters had a great team
Dr. R. Chatterjee on paper and the pressure was once again on them to
House Tutors: perform. Strong tackling from Joe Liptrot and Alex
Mr. M. Coats, Mrs. Z. J. Fisher, Mrs. S. A. Hooper, Wantling kept the opposition at bay. Superb running form
Mrs. V. Howle, Mr. G. Hutchinson, Mr. R. J. Macintosh, Martin Jones and Ewan Crispin kept the tries coming.
Mr. H. B. Orr, Mr. G. Owen, Mrs. J. E. Purcell, Once again the Inters were able to take first place. The
Mr. P. Richards, Mr. P. Swainson Senior team worked hard in the early rounds and through
great determination and team effort made it through to
Captains of House: the final. A number of quick tries from Meynell appeared
Jamie Tyrer & Abigail Merrill to put paid to the Talbot charge and it looked like being a
white-wash.
This was the last year of the ‘Old Guard’. After 7 years of
hard labour, the final group of pupils that joined Talbot whilst
still in Lower School said their goodbyes. They have helped
to shape the House in recent years and made the new pupils
welcome, at the same time instilling in them the Talbot
House spirit.
This year saw both boys and girls playing indoor 6-a-side
football. The Junior Boys’ team did the best of the bunch
with a creditable second place. The girls put up a great fight,
but in what was a close contest just kept on missing out.

Intermediate Rugby

However, Talbot never gave up and with the strength of

Intermediate Football
The Talbot House play was a great comedy directed by
Christopher Bevan. Will Bartlett played the inept Inspector
Hound with great comic timing. Beth Clewlow and Kim
Salzgeber were superb as was Niall Crispin, who once
again appeared in drag. He of course
got an ‘Ellie’ award for this. A mention
must go to Peter Heath who played a
dead body, from start to finish!
Sam Lewis and Jamie Tyrer a platform was built for a
number of Talbot tries. Jake Asplin made a superb run
from deep in his own half to score a try. Charles
Chambers was outstanding and helped to secure a
narrow lead with only minutes to go. Niall Crispin gave it
his all, along with the rest of the team. However, a late
penalty lost us the match by the narrowest of margins. It
was one of the best-ever House matches, and worthy of a
final.

This year was our best chance in a

while to win the Girls’ field hockey.
We had strong teams in both the
Senior and Junior sections. Abigail
Merrill captained the Senior team to
victory, with some great runs from
Beth Clewlow and superb defence
from Mary Pescod in goal. In the
Juniors, Charlotte Shearer and Emily
Lewis stood out amongst their peers
and helped secure second place. This
meant that the girls won the
competition overall. An outstanding
and well-deserved victory. This meant
the boys had to follow suit in the
rugby. Girls Hockey Team

20

The Christmas Carol Service was a great way to end the
year. Many parents were there and it was great to speak to
everyone afterwards over a glass of mulled wine.
After Christmas, House Debating once again took centre
stage. The Senior team consisting of William Bartlett,
Johannes Beil and Christopher Bevan were under pressure
to perform as Talbot has won the shield over the last few
years. They were not to disappoint and produced a superb
team effort to once again come out on top. The Junior
team were again up against it and were narrowly beaten by
a more polished team.
House Singing was helped along by Toby Dell, our resident
musician. The theme this year was Disney and our choice
for the main song turned out to be inspired. Under the Sea
from ‘The Little Mermaid’ was a great success, especially
as the judge thought it was the best on the night. However,
when the Part Song was taken into account we were
placed second overall.
Was this to be the girls’ year? After their success in the
hockey, the girls rated their chances in the netball. This year
there was an A and a B team made up from all the age
groups. With so many great netball players it was difficult to
choose between the teams. Megan Bray and Kirstie Foster
were our youngest players and made a superb contribution
to our victory in the B team.
Our A team was equally successful, making it a clean sweep
for Talbot girls. The Boys’ football and Boys’ hockey were
unable to follow suit and narrow defeats in the early rounds
saw us relegated to third and fourth places.
Netball Team
The Summer term got off to a great start with the tennis.
The Senior Boys powered through the other Houses,
especially in terms of James King’s serve. The girls
competed equally well, and with a second place in the
mixed competition, the overall Tennis Cup was ours.
The start of May saw the Annual House Dinner come to
life. Over the years it has been well-attended by parents
and this year was no exception. The Captains of House
were extremely relaxed and looked as if making
speeches was an everyday event for them. Jamie and
Abigail were great ambassadors for Talbot and showed
why they were chosen to lead the House. The dinner
also saw the presentation of a large number of House
colours, as has now become the custom.
21
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The athletics event was once again upon us and it was time
for the whole House to perform. Everyone had a go with
some outstanding performances. Beth Clewlow came first in
both the 100m and 200m Senior Girls’ races and Katie
Brereton came second in the triple jump. The Senior Boys
also won the 4 x 400 relay, with a superb final leg being run
by Jamie Tyrer. In the Inters Emma Johnson won the 200m
race and also helped the Girls’ 4 x 100 relay team to victory.
The Boys’ 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams both came
second. Ewan Crispin performed superbly in all his events
and went onto win the Victor Ludorum.
The Juniors were not to be outdone and there were victories
for Martin Jones in the 200m, and James Walker and Holly
Liversage in the triple jumps.
In the Senior Cricket the run rate was just too slow to put the
opposition under pressure. Good work from our talented
youngsters, Oliver Brereton and Joseph Davies, kept us in
the hunt, but with a final total of 74 all out it was just not
enough. Due to the weather, the Juniors’ match was played
in the Sports Hall. This did not suit our big hitters, who were
not used to the subtlety needed to score runs indoors.
The reintroduction of House Golf led to an excellent win for
the Junior side. Conditions were blustery, but James Cole
managed a respectable 45 to help the Talbot team to victory.
The Seniors managed second place, with Abigail Merrill
leading the way with a great score of 39.
Another new sport in the Summer calendar was volleyball. All
of Talbot were keen to play and were vying for places. Jake
Asplin and Kim Salzgeber dominated the court and with a
whole team effort were able to beat all
comers.
On the academic front, Jake Asplin gained
perfect As at A level, enabling him to study
Medicine. Peter Heath and Christopher
Bevan also gained top grades. At GCSE,
Amber Louis-Boulton was the cream of
Talbot with a superb set of A grades. The
Sir Noel Davies Trophy for the best annual
average period grades in Year 9 was won
by Megan Bray. Special prizes went to
Harry Craig for Services to Drama, Toby
Dell won the Marsh Cup for Musician of the
Year, Oliver Suckley won the Colin Russell
Prize for Endeavour in Biology, Jake Asplin
was presented with the Mark Willis Science
Prize, Christopher Bevan won the Gedhill
OE Prize for Leadership, Initiative and
Excellence, Martin Jones won The Evans
Cup for ICT and Abigail Merrill won both
Sportswoman of the Year and the
Headmaster’s prize: Head Girl.
The success that Talbot have once again
had this year was not down to any single individual, or even
year group. Rather it was down to team-work and the drive
and determination to win as a collective body. The
indomitable team spirit shown by all members of the House
will carry on, even after the ‘Old Guard’ have left. Finally I
would once again like to thank the House Captains for their
support this year and wish them and all the rest of our
leavers well.
Leavers:
Joseph Chu, Harry Craig, Joseph Liptrot, Tom Newman,
Deri Russell, Theodore Teal, Richard Tyrer, Jacob Asplin,
Christopher Bevan, Thomas Bohn, Charles Chambers,
Niall Crispin, Toby Dell, Alex Dunn, Gemma Evans,
Maxine Fennell, Henry Fletcher-Brewer, Peter Heath,
James Jarvis, Stephen Johnson, Abigail Merrill,
Jamie Tyrer & Annabel Yin.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

House Notes - Wakeman-Lambart

Housemaster:
Dr. M.T.Gareh
House Tutors:
Mr. M. Clewlow, Mr. J. Cowley, Mr. P. Wood,
Mr. D. Crawford, Mrs. D.J. Brook, Mrs. E. Lewis,
Mr. S.Purcell, Mrs. J. Cowan, Miss E. Williams,
Miss H. Goss
Captains of House:
James Farrell & Alice Dapling

So much has taken place this year that what follows is a

summary of the main events.
The House Indoor Football Competition takes place on the
Wednesday afternoons of the Michaelmas term and it began
with our Junior Boys. In their first match, after they surged to a
2-1 lead against Woodard, they gave away two soft goals and
ended a scrappy game with a defeat. This was not the best
way to start the competition and a far cry from the 9-0 defeat
inflicted on the Woodard team last year. Unfortunately, this was
our best result and we ended this competition without a victory.
Some early confusion and the loss of two easy goals put the
Junior Girls under pressure at the start, but the rules were
swiftly learnt and the team went on to dominate the play. The
two goals were duly recovered and, apart from some poor
defending of a late free kick which resulted in a near miss
against us, a well-deserved 2-2 draw was earned against
Talbot. This gave us confidence for the other two matches
and resulted in a good win against Woodard in an excellent
match. Meynell proved just a little too strong for us and a
defeat against them placed the team in an extremely well-
deserved second place overall in the standings.
The Senior Boys’ team got off to a fine start against Talbot and
eased into a 4-0 lead. We relaxed a little and let them score
two goals before the final whistle blew, giving us our first
victory in the defence of the title. Unfortunately, the match
against Meynell, despite a late surge, ended in defeat.
Second place in the competition was finally secured by a
victory against the other challengers for that spot, Woodard
House, in a close-fought match.
The Senior Girls’ competition was played in one afternoon,
and despite some magnificent performances and some very
close games indeed, we finished the day occupying the very
much undeserved last spot.
Report on the House Play: Frankenstein’s Guest
For my directing debut this proved both challenging and nerve-
wracking, but the help and unconditional support of all age
groups in the House made this an unforgettable time for me. I
would like to thank all the hardworking cast, especially Jed
Denham for his good looks and excellent make-up, Freddie
Herzog for his Freddie Mercury outfit, Katie Irby for her
amazing Transylvanian accent, Ollie Thomas for his American
accent, Joe Dapling for his stage presence and Sam
Fairbank for his memorable debut in the leading role. This
would have been daunting to most performers but with his
huge confidence and enthusiasm he made this a truly brilliant
achievement. As Sam’s wife (in the play of course), Leonie
Brereton was able to show off her acting skills. Nin Cooper
should also be commended for her humour in rehearsals,
which cheered us all up. Garnet Fischer kindly ‘volunteered’ to
play a mad German maid (which she did very well). Also
thanks to everyone for the strobe chase scene which was
unforgettable for the audience. Alice Dapling and Paula Van
Niekerk did an extremely good job supporting me as they
were the backbone of the play. Of course, one cannot make
a great play without a great cast and I am proud of everyone
in our production.
Iain Disspain
22
Non-Uniform Day!
The House Rugby was again a very hard-fought and
enjoyable competition with all teams giving of their best and
some strong individual performances, particularly from Faz
who played through injuries sustained during the match.
A fantastic afternoon of competition of the highest order
was enjoyed for the House Hockey Competition. Both the
Senior and Junior Girls’ teams gave their all in every match
and the standard of hockey played was the highest I have
seen in a House competition. The Senior Girls drew each
of their matches and were extremely unlucky not to win,
having had the majority of the play and chances, against a
very strong Talbot side. The Junior Girls battled equally
hard and played some very good hockey with only six
players available.
Last year was very good for us in the Cross-Country
Competition and this year we again fielded a very strong
team in all age groups.
The Junior team of O.Dodds, J.Leahy, A.Hicklin, J.Dapling,
S.Halstead, L.Forgrave, F.Killick, S.Collison, A.Sesay and
F.Anderson were second in the main race and would have
been first in the relay had we not accidentally fielded an
overage Year 10 pupil. This placed us third overall for the
Junior competition.
The Intermediate team of J.Norman, B.Patterson,
C.Fergusson, G.Forgrave, A.Cooper, C.Rodda, A.Clewlow,
B.Mitchell, J.Gould and A.Cooksey dominated this section,
winning the main race and coming second in the relay.
They were comfortably-placed in first place overall.
The Senior team of C.Morgan, A.Burley, M.Burrows,
C.Carl, L.Brereton, N.Forgrave, S.Onel, J.Galley,
H.Collison, C.Irby were equally strong, repeating the
success of the Intermediate team. This meant that
Wakeman-Lambart were the winners in the overall
competition by a significant margin.
Focusing on the races to come

The Senior Debating team of Iain Disspain, Nin Cooper and Jed
Denham were somewhat unprepared for their tussle with
Meynell House and came off second best. However, in a very
professional and close fought contest, the Junior team of James
Leahy, Freddie Herzog and Luke Ottaway were able to
despatch their Meynell team in opposition.
Our Honourable Team:
Luke Ottaway, Freddie Herzog & James Leahy
They were proposing that the Honours system was outdated and
their arguments and teamwork were enough to sway the panel of
judges. They faced a very competent Woodard team in the final (a
repeat of last year’s line-up, in which we were triumphant) and
despite an even better performance than the first round, were
narrowly beaten. This was a superb effort and they certainly upheld
the honour of Wakeman-Lambart House.
This year’s House Singing Competition was entered with a great
deal of enthusiasm and proved very enjoyable on the night. Under
the guidance and accompaniment on the piano by Mr.Crawford, the
Part Song – Breaking Free (High School Musical) – was placed
second by the judge. This was a very good result for the group
made up of C.Irby, P.Van Niekerk, J.Denham, N.Forgrave, J.Galley
(suffering from a throat infection), R.Harrison, C.Morgan and
F.Herzog. Perhaps next year we can go one better. Jed Denham
then stepped up to conduct the whole House in the Unison Song
You’ve Got A Friend (Toy Story). This was sung very well and we
missed out on second place by only 1 mark, placing us third overall
by the narrowest of margins. Well done to everyone.
The semi-final of the Boys’ Hockey took place on a sunny afternoon
and spirits were high. The Junior team was drawn against Meynell
House and after playing some good quality hockey, were able to
leave the pitch with a 4-0 victory. The Senior team battled hard
against a very strong Woodard House team, but eventually lost 0-2
to a penalty in the first half and then a goal in open play in the
second.
The following week, the final of the Junior Competition was against
Woodard House. This was something of an anti-climax as we
romped home winners, scoring 5 goals without reply; a very
satisfying result.
The Senior team were playing Talbot House for third place in the
competition and after a close-fought match a late penalty flick,
extremely well taken by C.Pickering, gave us a 1-0 victory and third
place.
The House Football Competition is always closely contested and
this year was no exception. The Junior Boys battled hard and
managed a very creditable third place.
Strong in the air
The Intermediate team went two better and won their competition
in very convincing style and the Senior team, by drawing with
Meynell in a fantastic final match, also hung on to first place. This
gave Wakeman-Lambart the overall team victory.
23
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Due to the number of players available for the Girls’ Netball
Competition, this event was contested by an ‘A’ and ‘B’ team.
The ‘A’ team beat Meynell, drew against Woodard and lost
against Talbot. This placed us third in the competition as
Woodard had a better goal difference.
The Senior Boys’ Tennis Competition took place on the first
Friday back after Easter and, with limited preparation time
available, we put in a very strong performance. The team
J.Farrell, C.Cooper, J.Turville, S.Onel, J.Norman and C.Von
Hoven were beaten into second place by a strong Talbot side.
The result was confirmed in the third round by beating Meynell
and consigning them into third place overall.
The Senior Girls and the mixed team, although competing well,
could not improve on this result.
The least said the better about our effort in the Senior Cricket, but
well done to those boys who battled against a very strong
Woodard side, which went on to win the competition.
However, the Junior Cricket Competition was a very enjoyable
event. In a thrilling semi-final in the Sports Hall (due to wet
weather) on the last Saturday of term, the team of F.Anderson,
C.Bielby, D.Main, A.Sesay and O.Thomas were fielding and
defending 89 runs all out against Woodard. With one ball
remaining and two runs to win, B.Lingard-Lane swung the bat for
Woodard only to be caught by the Captain F.Anderson, to seal a
win for our House.
The new event for the Summer term, volleyball, was a welcome
addition to the calendar. We got off to an excellent start to this
competition with a comprehensive win against Meynell.
Unfortunately, the following week we were on the receiving end
against a very good Talbot team. This signalled the start of our
decline as immediately after half term we were also beaten by
Woodard.
In the House Sailing Competition, unlike last year, when despite
winning all the races we were placed second on a technicality,
this year we were first overall. We again won all the races, some
by several laps. Congratulations to C.Cooper, J.Denham and
C.Pickering.
With several golfers missing due to other House and school
events, our team of four Senior golfers were under a good deal of
pressure. G.Forgrave and J.McBrien got off to a good start
posting rounds of 42 and 41 respectively. F.Hertzog and
B.Patterson, who had only come to caddy, found themselves
teeing off as the other two members of the team, due to last
minute changes. Rounds of 60 and 85 meant that we were not in
a position to challenge the other Houses but a big thank you to all
four members for ensuring that we fielded a team.
A very windy and wet Wednesday afternoon witnessed a brave
team of Junior golfers (J.Dapling, F.Herzog, F.Anderson and
J.Gould) competing for the House. What was an enjoyable
afternoon sadly ended in the team being placed in fourth position,
1 stroke behind Woodard.
In a fine team display the House successfully defended its title from
last year as overall House Athletics Champions. There were many
fine performances and this year the girls
led the way with Lucy Forgrave gaining
the Victrix Ludorum for the Juniors and
Amy Cooper the Victrix Ludorum for the
Intermediate girls. This contributed to
wins for both the Junior and
Intermediate teams overall. Particular
mention should go to newcomer Ella
Walker (Year 9) in her first appearance
for the House. She not only won the
1500m for the Junior Girls but she also
beat, in the same race, all the
Intermediate and Senior runners as
well. One to watch for the future!
Congratulations to all the pupils that Ella running
took part in making the 2006-7 year
such an enjoyable and successful one and good luck to those that
have left us to join the world outside Ellesmere. Hopefully you will
take with you fond memories of your Wakeman-Lambart family.
MTG
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
House Notes - Woodard
Housemaster:
Mr. C. R. Davies
House Tutors:
Mr. T. C. Howitt-Dring, Mrs. J. Evans, Mrs. P. M. Fox,
Mrs. R. McCarthy, Mrs. J. R. Nicholson, Mr. R. C. Paul,
Mr. I. L. Roberts, Mrs. H. T. Scarisbrick,
Mr. P. M. Stanway, Mr. F. S. Williams
Captains of House:
Aled Ellis & Sarah-Jane Beswick
Another exciting and very full year has passed and the
members of Woodard Competitive 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. Aled
Ellis became Captain for the boys, ably supported in his
duties by Vice Captain Peter Daborn, and Sarah-Jane
Beswick took up the position of Captain for the girls, once
again supported by Vice Captain Sarah Haynes. Together
these four individuals have proved to be an astonishingly
well-organised and much-loved team. Through them
Woodard clothing gained a new and altogether more modern
identity in the form of the updated and very trendy Woodard
polo shirt – an excellent visual advert for the competitive
‘attitude’ of the House teams.
Earlier in the year the Inter House indoor soccer matches
were played. It was good to witness the new Year 9 recruits
showing off their skills and giving us all a glimpse of the
potential talents that continued to show themselves during
the course of the year. The soccer skills of Andy
Coughborough (who received House Colours for his efforts
on the field) and James Webb proved to be more than a
match for Meynell in one game and the Senior Boys lived up
to their reputation as a team to be reckoned with, a quality
that was greatly admired and enjoyed deafening Woodard
support from the Sports Hall balcony. The Girls’ teams also
played their games to heavy support from other House
members and anyone who had the opportunity to enjoy
these matches will testify to the levels of sporting aggression
and competitive spirit that were regularly on display.
Excitement levels reached a peak amongst the supporting
crowds when a sensational hand-ball incident from Talbot
resulted in a nail-biting goal-scoring opportunity for Woodard.
We eventually won that particular match by two goals to one
– hooray ! I was impressed to see members of the soccer
teams employing psychology tactics prior to the matches by
showing off their ball control skills in the entrance hall – it
certainly had the desired effect on the opposition who
crumbled early on in several of the matches.
Junior football squad in action
24
The House Drama was by far the largest event of the
Michaelmas term with regard to time consumption. The cast
are again to be congratulated on pulling together another
astonishing performance which revealed the talents of Chloe
Perkins (a veteran of House Plays), Sarah–Jane Beswick,
Liz Boffey, Patrick Gorman, Aled Elis, Jamie Cartwright,
Gace Kendall, Harry McElwee, William Norris, and special
recognition goes to our very stressed, but always organised
director – Alex Deller. It is safe to say, I think, that Woodard
has now gained a formidable reputation in this field and this
was reflected on the night of the show when finding a seat in
the packed auditorium almost qualified as a competitive
event in itself !
The approach towards Christmas saw much festivity
amongst the staff and the pupils. The flaming of the
Christmas pudding met with delight and rapturous applause
from House members during the end-of-term meal and
another superb Carol Service provided the backdrop for
extended Christmas cheer as the cast of the House
Performance celebrated their success with a delicious meal
in the Black Lion Hotel. Our thanks go out to all friends and
relatives who were able to share the mulled wine and mince
pies with us after the Carol Service.
Into the Lent term and we started well with a win against
Wakeman-Lambart in the Junior Basketball competition.
Andy Coughborough, Martin Tatchell and James Webb
scored some excellent baskets. As the competition
progressed there was no let-up in the standard of play.
Against Talbot House the Woodard Juniors again pulled off a
fantastic victory with a basket being scored in the first minute
of the match by James Webb. Andy Coughborough left the
opposition in turmoil for the second time this term as he
dribbled the ball neatly along the full length of the court with
pace and apparent ease, eventually setting up many of the
Woodard baskets that followed, including the sensational
one-handed crack shot produced by Harry McElwee in the
last eight seconds of the game, which found its target having
been launched all the way from the centre line. At this point
one spectator standing at my side (and supporting the
opposition) commented “Unbelievable, I’m not likely to see
anything better than that this evening”, and promptly left the
Sports Hall without staying to see the remaining games!
Well done team!
The Inter House Cross Country presented the runners with
the traditionally punishing combination of distance, stiff
competition, and terribly cold February weather. All
Woodard runners turned out in good spirits for this
exhausting afternoon event in which all sections of the
House (Juniors, Inters, Seniors) ran. I am sure that the
Woodard Year 11 and Sixth Formers welcomed this chance
to shake off examination cobwebs and
revitalise body and mind to see them through
until half term. All runners put in an excellent
effort and in particular the talents of Molly
Dingwall astounded the spectators as she
outstripped the rest of her age group,
including the boys!
Once again this year the House Singing
created a stir long before the event was
scheduled to take place. Our competent
House Captains targeted two well-known
songs from Disney movies early on in the
proceedings. Woodard needed to regain its
former reputation as a formidable singing
power (with serious X-Factor potential) after
technical problems spelled doom for us
during last year’s event. We had everything
to work for and success to look forward to.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Rehearsals began in earnest with I Wanna Be Like You I know that we all owe a great deal to our House Captains
from The Jungle Book, as the House Unison song, and Aled and Sarah-Jane, and their Vice Captains Peter and
Aint No Mountain High Enough as the Part Song. Jamie Sarah for carrying the House through to 2007. I find it hard
Cartwright was given the responsibility of conducting the to believe that I can ever find such a successful and well-
organised managerial team to improve upon their
Unison singers on the evening of the performance.
achievements this year. They all have my most heart-felt
The annual Woodard House formal dinner took place thanks in appreciation for all that they have done so well
amidst the preparations for the House Singing and I was together. Finally, and to an extent regrettably, I must
delighted with the support shown by so many guests apologise if I have omitted to mention any member of the
again this year. The evening was a great success, for House in this report. If I did this report would amount to
which most of the thanks, as always, rest with the pupils, nothing more than a very extensive list and would make for
and of course the House Captains who put forward an boring reading. I suppose it is a sign of just how full and
excellent speech, reminding us all of many of the best busy the Competitive House calendar is that I cannot
remember every single achievement, no matter how hard I
moments from the Woodard competitive calendar to date.
try. In a rather sweeping gesture I extend my most sincere
The atmosphere reached a crescendo when an
thanks and appreciation to all House members, their families
unexpected (but well-rehearsed) rendition of the House and friends, who continue to support us and be a part of this
Part Song was performed after the main meal. Abdul flourishing and rewarding team that is Woodard House.
Kareen Ndanusa of the Lower Sixth revealed his
CRD
astonishingly good singing voice supported by the
harmonious sounds of the rest of the group, including Mr
Roger Paul on keyboards. The spirit of the occasion
was such that many staff, guests, and pupils continued
the ‘party’ atmosphere well into the late evening.
The late spring weather provided a very pleasant
backdrop for a number of competitive House events, most
notably, the Inter House Cricket and the Senior School
Sports Day. Unfortunately I could not be present to
witness the astounding Woodard victory over all comers.
The cricket team, captained on the day by Vice House
Captain Peter Daborn, proved to be solid and well-
disciplined, and from start to finish the Woodard team led
the field in terms of performance. Some extremely high
numbers of runs were achieved by the players and House Captain Aled Ellis in the
Woodard’s run-away win was the talk of Ellesmere in the Senior Rugby Event
week that followed. Well done team!
The Sports Day was highly competitive as always, but all
teams, Juniors, Inters and Seniors, maintained their usual
high standards of dress and conduct on the field, and the
team captains are to be thanked for their efficient
organising of teams in a very short space of time. There
were some excellent performances including those by
Aidan Porter in the discus, Thomas Davies in the javelin,
Molly Dingwall in the 800m and the 1500m events,
Stephanie Newport-Both in the 100m and the 1500m,
Nathan Thomas in the 400m and Toby Blake in the 800m.
Abdul Kareen Ndanusa made the high jump seem
effortless to the delight of many spectators.. Some
House team members displayed great spirit by covering
an event for other House members who could not Senior Hockey team in action
compete on the day.
The debating teams did the House proud again. The
Junior team comprising Niko Wojtynia, Josh Boswell, and
Zoe Haynes were first to face the opposition. Woodard
proposed that ‘football is no longer a beautiful game’ – a
highly contentious subject for a debate under any
circumstances! The Junior team put forward a forceful
argument that had obviously been well-researched and
was delivered with confidence and panache. Although
the opposing House bombarded the Woodard team with
difficult questions Woodard defended with a passion.
Such was the feeling and emotional response to this
discussion topic that several of the competitive
Housemasters continued the heated debate amongst
themselves during the half time coffee break – all trying
their best to defend and support the opinions of their own The unfortunate result of a hard Woodard attack!
House teams. (No injuries this time though)

25
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Saints Houses
St. Aidan’s

St. Bede’s

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Saints Houses
St. Cuthbert’s

St. John’s

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Saints Houses
St. Oswald’s

St. Patrick’s

28

Pupil Notes
Ellesmere College Pupil Receives Award
for National Top Marks in Electronics
Headmaster Brendan Wignall and Matthew White
Following much hard work, Matthew White was the top
performing 2006 A Level Electronics candidate in the country.
The former pupil revisited the School during the Michaelmas
Term to be presented with an award from the National
Examining Board for his exceptional achievement.
Matthew White was presented with an iPod by the
Headmaster, on behalf of the National Assessment and
Qualification Alliance, who were delighted to reward him for
his excellent performance in Electronics.
Matthew White had showed outstanding academic ability
throughout his Ellesmere career. He successfully completed 6
A Level courses, and amongst his 4 A Grades the marks he
received for Electronics were a remarkable 600 out of 600.
Matthew is now studying Cybernetics at the University of
Reading.
HJW
Sixth Form Students Excel in
National Senior Mathematics Challenge
James McBrien, Cedric Carl, Max Spigiel, David Nip
Annabelle Yin, JC & Annie Zhang
Following their participation in the National Senior
Mathematics Challenge, a group of top-performing Sixth
Form students received their results.
Jake Asplin was one of 7 students who gained a Silver
Award and also received the ‘Best in School’ award.
The other Silver Award recipients were: Cedric Carl, Jamie
McBrien, David Nip, Max Spigiel, Annabelle Yin and Annie
Zhang. Bronze awards were also awarded to James Jarvis,
William Norris, Candy Yang, John Zhang and Andy Zeng.
29
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
It is always good to see our pupils performing well in the
Mathematics Challenge. There is no special preparation for
it and so it is a real test of their mathematical ability.
JC
Excellent ESB Results
There was a bumper crop of Sixth Form results in the
English Speaking Board exams with 28 (over 70%) of
candidates achieving either Distinction or top Merits.
Especially newsworthy was the fact that for the first time
the School had entered their International Baccalaureate
overseas students for the English first language version of
the examination and many of them managed to achieve
the highest grades.
We were very proud of our Senior students’ performance in
their ESB exams. Excellent examination results, success
in public speaking competitions and the dynamic
performance programme in Arena Arts provide the perfect
context for ambitious achievements in oral communication.
The Successful Sixth Form Group
Bearing in mind the significant oral elements in the IB
examinations, we were delighted that amongst these high
performers there were students who had come from abroad
and been able to develop their second-language skills to this
impressive degree.
Five students who participated in the external examination
received the top grade of Distinction. They were: William
Barlett, Cedric Carl, Sam Lewis, Ben Morris and Freddy Nevel.
Another 22 students all achieved a Merit Plus grade: Adam
Beech, Katie Brereton, Leonie Brereton, Rebecca Chmiel,
Adam Churton, Hal Collision, Alex Deller, Jed Denham, Molly
Dingwall, Garnet Fischer, Rhys Hayes, Alina Heidenreich,
Arthur Higgins, James King, Annalena Kohler, Max Mathey,
Jamie McBrien, Chris Morgan, Sophie Mullock, Caroline
Selker, Nathaniel Thomas and Alex Whittle.
The students went through an extremely rigorous
procedure, working in a group for an entire day under the
scrutiny of an examiner. They were tested in just about
every conceivable aspect of oral communication from
individual presentations to group discussions. These exams
are a wonderful foundation for the skills demanded by
Higher Education and life beyond, and the students showed
their very special abilities as communicators.
SFWP
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS
NAME UNIVERSITY COURSE
Jake Asplin Nottingham Medicine
Stephen Bannister Leeds Trinity and All Saints Sport, Health, Exercise & Nutrition
Sarah-Jane Beswick Nottingham Trent Fashion, Marketing & Communication
Chris Bevan Birmingham English
Jonathan Bevan Manchester Medicine
Tom Bohn University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Educational Studies & Sport & Physical Activity
John Brodie Birmingham Modern Languages
Alex Burley Lancaster History and Politics
Tom Burrows Leeds Met. Business & Management
Charles Bushnell Liverpool John Moores Construction Management
Charles Chambers Oxford Brookes International Relations/Sociology
Charles Cooper Newcastle Chemistry with Management
Niall Crispin Canterbury Christ Church Applied Criminology and Forensics
Peter Daborn Harper Adams Rural Enterprise & Land Management
Alice Dapling University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Interior Architecture
Toby Dell Manchester Chemistry
Harriet Devonald Oxford Brookes Fine Art
Will Doran Central Lancashire Sociology & Criminology
Alex Dunn Leeds Met. Retail Marketing Management
Sarah-Jane Edwards Manchester Management
Alex Ellis University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Sport and Physical Education
Gemma Evans Chester General Primary Education
Nick Evans Manchester Met. Sociology
James Farrell University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Business & Management Studies with Marketing
Maxime Fennell West of England, Bristol Marketing
Henry Fletcher-Brewer Leeds Met. Photography & Digital Imaging
Sarah Haynes Exeter History
Peter Heath Southampton Oceanography
James Jarvis Manchester Law with Politics
Stephen Johnson Manchester Met. Geography
Daniel Matthews Leeds Met. Sport with Business Management
Abigail Merrill Manchester Met. Events Management
Chloe Mitchell Sheffield Hallam Business & Marketing
Sarah Monro Leeds English
Will Norris Durham Physics
Richard Oliver Reading Real Estate
Chloe Perkins Gloucestershire Creative Writing
Robert Peters Manchester Met. Human Geography
Hadleigh Roberts Bath Modern Languages & European Studies
Alex Robinson Aberystwyth Marketing with Law
Ben Russell York Mathematics/Computer Science
Arabella Scott Reading Building Surveying
Robert Simms Manchester Chemistry
Jamie Tyrer Manchester Materials Science & Engineering
Sarah Wolfson Northampton Interior Design
William Wright Gloucestershire Business Management & Leisure & Sports Management
ShengiyaYang Bristol Civil Engineering
Hanqing Yin Leeds Mathematics with Finance
Jie Zhang Leeds Accounting & Finance

CAPTAINS OF HOUSE

Stephen Bannister Laura Bernhoffer Sarah-Jane Beswick James Farrell Jamie Tyrer
Meynell St. Oswald’s Woodard Wakeman-Lambart Talbot
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Sixth Form Fundraising

During the year, Sixth Form fundraising activities were
focused on raising funds for their Leavers’ Ball at the end
of the Summer term. During the Michaelmas term, as part
of their fund-raising efforts, a group of Upper Sixth Form
students designed and were responsible for the creation
of a 2007 calendar which went on sale to parents, pupils,
staff and OEs during the various end-of- term activities.
Abigail Merrill, Head Girl, was one of the team
instrumental in the creation of this year’s calendar. There
were a number of creative pupils in the Sixth Form who
took great care to produce a fun calendar which tried to
capture the variety of opportunity that exists at the school.
Staff and pupils alike were happy to pose in the photos
and we are very pleased with the finished article. Over
400 calendars were sold and the money raised went
towards the fireworks display at the Leavers’ Ball.
Paul Goodwin with Charles Cooper & Abigail Merrill

July Abigail Merrill, Maxine Fennell

Stephanie Perrin, & Gemma Evans

Sale of Valentine
Flowers
To further supplement funds for the
Leavers’ Ball, during the first part of
the Lent term orders for Valentine
flowers were taken, and a team of
Sixth Form girls busily organised the
preparation of over 100 red roses and
carnations which were distributed to
pupils and staff alike on the last Friday
before half term.
HJW

October
31
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Summer Ball

Staff & Pupils enjoy the evening

Gemma Evans, Stephen Bannister & Sarah Jane Edwards

Jamie Cartwright, Will Bartlett, Garnet Fisher, Cloe Mitchell, Jamie Tyrer, Steph Perrin, Sarah Jane Beswick
Alex Deller & Pippa Rickett

James Bond Theme

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

In and Around
Art Exhibition A2, AS & GCSE All of these moves took place in only one year. For a young
child such as Rudi or Paul this would have been a horrifying
experience. Despite staying in Bergen Belsen for a period
they survived to tell the tale. Paul did this through his book,
From Belsen to Buckingham Palace, which was on sale at
the talk, and Rudi through talks such as the one he gave to
the group of keen Ellesmere historians who attended. The
talk was not just about life in a concentration camp but also
about the build-up to it for Jews in Germany. His talk was
very interesting and a real insight into the conditions for
children in a concentration camp and what it was like under
Hitler’s dictatorship. Many thanks go to Mr Oppenheimer for
coming in to talk about his experiences.
The Art Centre Foyer Freddie Herzog

The Senior School

Art Exhibitions,
highlighted the
work produced by
students for their
GCSE, AS and
A2 Art. The work
reflected the wide
range of subject
matter and the
high level of skill The Art Centre Foyer
and quality that the
Senior pupils had achieved throughout their time at the
school.
SP The cramped and squalid conditions of
one of the huts at Bergen Belson
Careers Conference 2006
The Annual Careers Conference had an exceptional buzz in New Catering Services
Big School this year. The vast numbers of exhibitors were At the end of 2006 a
kept busy by our Year 11 pupils and parents, with their £100,000 refurbishment
pertinent questions about entrance levels and the trade to the kitchens was
secrets of each facet of the professional bodies represented. completed and in
The aim of the conference is to focus each individual student January the Dining Hall
on the need for good grades in GCSE and A Level opened with a new
examinations which will allow entry to Universities and servery.
Colleges to pursue higher level qualifications so that they Following much hard
may aspire to their dream career. work during the
My sincere thanks must go to the exhibitors who gave up Christmas holidays by
their time to facilitate our students’ needs and to the students Ellesmere College’s
and their parents, who I hope gained valuable information Operations Team,
which will be put to use when choosing A Level options and pupils now enjoy a new
counter service at meal
looking at post-18 choices. - times. Whilst retaining
DJB the traditional
atmosphere of the
Rudi Oppenheimer Talk school’s Dining Hall,
there is now a blend of
In the middle of the Michaelmas Term 2006, Rudi modernity with the
Oppeheimer came to talk to Years 10 and 11 about his At the Salad Bar, installation of ceramic
experiences from 1936 to 1946. During this period Hitler Emily Wicks & Sophie Greensmith counter tops and
and the Third Reich exterminated a total of over 6 million vibrant colours.
Jews. Rudi and his brother Paul could have been two of Whilst Ellesmere has always offered substantial and
those. However they managed to escape the “Final nutritious meals, everyone is delighted that the
modernisation of the kitchens has allowed the catering staff
Solution” because their sister was born in Britain, meaning
both to enhance the choices available and to make
that they were Exchange Jews. The family spent time in increased use of fresh ingredients to the benefit of pupils and
Westerbork transit camp in Holland, then in Bergen Belsen the staff of the College alike.
concentration camp. They were then moved from Berlin to With the serving of homemade soups, wraps and a variety of
Tröbitz (East Germany), to Leipzig (East Germany), to salads, the food is attractively displayed and much is
Maastricht (Holland), to Laren (Holland) and finally to available on a self-service basis.
London and from there to Birmingham. HJW
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Lent Term Snow
Pupils building a giant snowman on 7th February 2007
Guide Dogs Visit College
Guide Dogs for the Blind Talk for PHSE Day
Owen Paterson MP Visits Year 10
Izzy Evans, Matthew Steggles, Owen Patterson MP
Lotti Keeble & Steven Quinlan
During the Lent term, Owen Patterson, Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire, visited the College to talk about the nature
of democracy and the importance of taking part in Politics.
The visit by the local MP was arranged to help prepare a group
of Year 10 pupils for their participation in the National Youth
Parliament Competition, organised by the Citizenship
Foundation. The competition itself involved the School Chapel
being converted into a debating forum for a mock parliamentary
session, with a further group of Year 10 pupils studying Media
Studies filming the proceedings. The pupils benefited from the
MP’s expertise and experience in The House of Commons
before they had the opportunity to hold a parliament
themselves. All Year 10 Pupils had roles to perform. There was
a Speaker of The House and Leader of The Opposition as well
as backbenchers. A Prime Minister’s Question Time session
was held with other pupils performing the roles of the press.
The whole event was then recorded onto video and entered into
The National Youth Parliament Competition 2007.
HJW
34
The Year 11 Spring Prom
th
Friday 18 May was the date set for the Year 11 Spring
Prom. This is the second year that the event has taken place
to mark the culmination of the teaching phase leading to
GCSE examinations. Expectations were high due to the
success of last year’s event.
Max Wojtiynion, Timothy Courage, Laurence Wiggington,
Tom Dance, Daniel Anders-Richards & James Norman
A committee of Year 11 pupils, with representatives from
each Middle School House, met on a regular basis to
discuss the details for the evening. The group were given
support from the Year 11 tutor team. The evening is a
formal event with formal dress code. However, the
committee added a 70’s twist if individuals desired to take a
theme to their formal dress wear. The theme carried on to
the decorations in the Arts Centre venue. Helium balloons
and streamers were in abundance.
Nin Cooper, Elizabeth Boffey, Harriet Tomlinson, Stephanie Platt,
Grace Kendall, Charlotte Leins, Rhian Davies, Tess Fawcett
The evening began with pre-dinner cocktails. A hot and cold
buffet was served throughout the evening and music was
provided by a Sixth Form Band. Fantastic music carried on
throughout the night with special effects. Mr Crawford
provided a cabaret slot with his terrific rendition of Born to be
Wild that packed the dance floor and had everyone ‘rocking
in their boots’.
The society magazines busied themselves with shots of
groups of Year 11 pupils looking fabulous for the occasion. It
was quite a revelation to see the year group transformed into
the beautiful young women and very handsome young men
that they are. Quite a different sight to the daily school
uniform!
It was a lovely evening and a big thank you must go to all
those who made it so successful. One hopes that the hard
work during revision pays off with GCSE success.
SO
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Out & About

Snowdon Run After more courageous running from the team we eventually
reached the bottom of Snowdon and set off with a dedicated
The Snowdon Run is in aid of raising money for the charity
Chernobyl Continuity. This is a great charity that helps children team who would have to race to the top to ensure we beat
from Belarus, who are still affected by the Chernobyl nuclear our target. Will Norris, David Anders-Richards and I led the
power station disaster of 1986. way, starting with a impressive pace, in shorts and a t-shirt
— BIG mistake! We realised this when nearing the top, as it
To make the run competitive, the aim is to reach the summit of got a bit unpleasant! But no matter how cold and tired we
Snowdon in less than 12 hours. The run is done as a relay
were, we knew we weren’t far off, so we stuck at it, and
with two runners completing each leg. Each pair completes 5
to 6 legs of approximately 3 miles each. The total distance is finally we made it. There standing proud was the monument
about 75 miles, with each runner doing about 16 miles, we had all been wishing to see. Only then did we realise we
excluding the almighty climb up Snowdon at the end. had a 2-hour hike back down, not to put a dampener on
anything! Well done guys, great effort!
And this year history was made! Yes, for the first time ever,
the 2007 team heroically completed the run in under the target Adam Churton
time, reaching the summit in just 11 hours 30 minutes.
Although this did nothing for the amount raised, it was Jamie’s Tale
everything to the team. Well done guys! The 1st of July started bright and early at 4 am, the sun just
RC breaking through the clouds that dominated the sky, creating
a grey/blue atmosphere that made the morale slightly
Adam’s Tale dimmed. The bus was waiting for us at Reception, with most
Now I must warn you that I'm not a morning person in the of us still looking tired; the likes of Norris and Hawkins were
slightest, getting up at 8 am is hard enough, but 4 am! Never all giddy and wide awake.
a good start in my books, but as a surprise to me, when I
stepped onto the bus I was raring to go, gently psyched, and We left Ellesmere College at 4:30 am with Greeny and
under attack from one too many butterflies. Steggles starting the 75-mile run which would be the most
memorable out of all that have been run in the past. Greeny
After three very impressive legs, my first challenge of the day
and Steggles started the run with quite good timing, probably
came, the first hill! I’d like to take this point in my tale to give
my thanks to Dr Chatterjee for so generously handing me this to do with their very long legs. From then on the legs that
responsibility! Anyhow, my partner Rory McCarthy and I tore each of us did were ALMOST consistent. For example Phil
up the hill in no time, only then realising that that was only a seemed to be the ugly duckling of the crew, as he was
third of our leg, depressing at the least. almost always knackered after each leg and was taking all
We all know New Zealanders aren’t born athletes in any our Lucozade and Mars Bars.
respect (looking back on the World Cup!), so Gappy Phil didn’t There were a lot of memorable moments throughout the 12-
really have a chance from the start. But, for my second hour period. We had (as close to in order as possible)
pleasant surprise of the day, he brought out the English in him, Hawkins’ frequent loo-stops, which actually leads to the next
got his head down, and made an impressive contribution to memorable moment where the Marine Commando-in-training
our efforts. gets beaten by Adam Churton on one of the hardest up-hill
By the time of my second leg we were right on track with our legs on the entire route. Next was probably my own leg
target time, but all was not happy for me. Yep, another hill, but which was 2.5 miles in 13 minutes which shocked a lot of
this one was a beast! 3 miles of
continuous ‘upness’. So myself and
Marine man Mr Hawkins downed a
Nutrigrain and set on our way. This leg
however was home to a much-needed
pit stop for Mr Hawkins, ‘de-fuelling’ in
the shrubs and ferns of the roadside.
Now Mr Hawkins doesn’t like to mention
this, but I think he just got a little scared
of the big hill! I on the other hand don’t
like to mention the fact he still caught
me up despite his little stoppage!
As our venture continued, great efforts
from Richard Greensmith, John
Steggles, Robert Coates and Jamie
Cartright (who all will admit the fresh
mountain air did them the world of
good) moved us forward to our target,
encouraging everyone to keep going no
matter how hard and painful it was.
A big hand must go to Dr Chatterjee
who took it on himself to challenge the
cross country legs, though he will admit
he is much more at home in the
wilderness, and serious wilderness it
was! You can’t simply call it the Snowdon Stunning view at the top
Run, but also the Snowdon Swim! David Anders-Richards, Will Norris & Adam Churton
Meanwhile, while Dr Chatterjee was
practising his aquatic skills, an unusual event occurred. Whilst people considering my lung habits, but I’m sure that wasn’t
driving the minibus to the next pick-up spot, a rock moved the only reason. Then Dr Chatterjee and I had the longest
from the road-side bank into the middle of the road, and leg of the entire run which was cross country (about 4 miles).
despite Mr Hawkins’ (apparent) Marine-level driving skills, he The run was up a mountain track, across a small plain,
could not quite avoid it, creating a nice additional locking across a massive river through a valley, then over a corrie lip
system on the passenger door; however it was a one-way down to the main road, all of which was incredibly slippery,
lock! mainly due to the torrential rain.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

There were only 2 more legs of jogging up a road to the On Monday morning, after a light continental breakfast, we
bottom of the Snowdon mountain where visitors and set off again, this time to Omaha beach, one of the two
photographers park. Since we had an hour to get up to the American landing sites. I think I speak for all of the group
top of the mountain before the 12 hours was up, we sorted when I say that the enormous cemetery there was the most
out who could and couldn’t run. We were met by Mr Steggles touching experience of the trip. Row after row after row of
at the base of Snowdon and he provided extra support to the white marble graves stood, like the regiments of the
team, as he set off up the mountain. Myself and Coates hundreds of men that lay beneath them, forever resting in
couldn’t run up because of injuries that were sustained on peace. A total of 9000 soldiers were buried there, only
the latest legs, Dr Chatterjee was just tired so he doesn’t get
yards away from the beach that we walked down to, where
a cool excuse! We loaded our rucksacks with all the spare
they fell.
food, water and warm clothing and set off. I switched on my
iPod and walked up at my own pace, and eventually after After the American cemetery we visited the German one,
what seemed years we ran into the lead runners coming presenting a stark contrast. There was only a small
back down. Here we off-loaded all the water, food and collection of headstones per section, with several men
jumpers, giving them the deserved refreshments and buried in one grave, marked only by a small stone square.
lightening our rucksacks. They had done it, having reached
After the cemeteries we visited the small town of St Mere
the summit in a record time. Eventually Coates, Dr
Eglises, and learned a strange story about a paratrooper
Chatterjee and I reached the summit and chilled for 10
whose parachute got snagged on the church tower and left
minutes or so, and then… we walked back down.
him hanging, helpless. Turning to the church tower we were
Driving back was pretty tiresome; we were all knackered and surprised to see a figure hanging from a white parachute on
pretty much all of us snoozed on each other for warmth and the side of the spire. It turned out it was a dummy, put there
comfort. With no Lucozade or Mars Bars left there was no to commemorate the mishap.
point in staying awake. When I woke up we were back in
Quad and I’ve never felt more pain in my legs than I did that Our last day was spent in Honfleur, window-shopping and
day, can’t wait till next year!! occasionally venturing inside to test our pitiful grasp of the
French language. After this the fun was over, and the
Jamie Cartwright
journey back began, consisting of only 10 hours this time.
I think the trip was an experience not to be forgotten,
Battlefields Trip Report invaluable to all concerned for understanding the trials the
Our journey began when, stumbling from the early soldiers had to go through in the battle to free France. I
breakfast, the bleary-eyed students slung their bags, would also like to thank Mr Wood, Mrs Paton, Mrs
closely followed by themselves, onto the coach bound for McCarthy and Mr Cowley for taking us on this very
Normandy, France. enjoyable trip.
The journey was a long one, taking a bottom-numbing 5
hours to the Euro Tunnel. At this point we all had a chance
to stretch our legs and eat some lunch. Certain groups who
Classics Trip Report
shall remain unnamed set off on a search for the
‘observation deck’ of the train, much to the amusement of In September, a group of Year 11 Classical Civilisation
the others. Soon enough though, it was back on the coach students visited some Roman sites in South West England.
for us for another journey, this one turning out to be 6 Our trip began at Roman Bath, where we went round the
hours! ruins of the bath complex in the heart of the modern city.
On the second day we visited the Roman museum at
In keeping with the topic of the journey we were shown the
Cirencester, which is home to several large mosaics; the
Spielberg classic, Saving Private Ryan. It was very much
enjoyed by all but it showed many of us the horrors of war, amphitheatre at Cirencester; and finally the villa complex at
and set in context the thousands of deaths of the American, Chedworth. On the final day, we went on to Caerleon in
British and German soldiers. Eventually we arrived at the South Wales, to see the extensive remains of the Roman
hotel and spent our first night unpacking and exploring the legionary fort, including the baths, amphitheatre and
town, which was very beautiful but seemingly uninhabited. barracks. This was a very enjoyable and successful trip,
which gave the class the opportunity to learn about many
The next day began with a trip to the Pegasus Bridge and
aspects of life in Roman Britain.
its museum. The museum was probably the best on the trip
as it had the perfect balance of information and objects, IT
personal stories and national history. At mid-morning we
visited the café next to the bridge, which was the first place
to be liberated from German occupation by the British
paratroopers.
Next we travelled to Arromanches and the museum there
which commemorates the building of the Mulberry harbour
amongst other things. After a crepe or two we hitched a lift
on the tourist train, which only just managed to bring us up
the steep hill from the town with its lawnmower engine
screaming all the way. At the top we entered a cinema, but
a very special one as it was 360 degrees. The film was a
dizzying but amazing experience with sweeping views of
the cemeteries and chilling scenes of the battles fought
between the Allied and Axis powers on the north coast.
Joshua Boswell
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Sixth Form Biology and Geography Environmental Field Trips

This year saw the first group of IB students through the
Lower Sixth. They were treated a trip to Present Montford
to carry out some field work. This included pond dipping,
flow rate measurements and many other techniques. For
some it was their first experience of field work and very
different to what they have had before.
RC
Early the next morning Dr Chatterjee, Richard Greensmith
and Jonathan Steggles went for an early morning run in
preparation for what was to be a very successful Snowdon
run. After breakfast we set of for Harlech and looked at
diversity on a sand dune system. We also looked at what
caused this diversity. After writing this up, the Biologists
evening was spent preparing for their A2 coursework.
The last day was upon us and after a hearty
breakfast we were ready for the wind down. Little
did we know that this was going to be the hardest
days work in the history of Biology! It was really the
technical aspect, it was that beautiful summer
weather, which was in fact typically British –
torrential rain. After collecting our data and drying
out we set out for home, finishing the trip off with a
well earned meal out.
A2 Biologists (a team effort!)

A Level students looking at the dune system at Harlech

This year’s trip for the coursework aspect of A Level

Biology and Geography was to Betws-y-Coed. On the
first day the weather was pleasant, as was to be
expected for this summer. We learnt how to analyse
streams and looked at the influence of abiotic factors
on the abundance and diversity of life. As night fell
and after evening lectures we ambled down to town
over a very rickety suspension bridge and across some
fields, where Richard Greensmith pretended to be a
farmer and chased us on our way! It was quite
amusing at the time as in the twilight it was difficult to
see who was shouting at us.

IB student, Annabelle Peschke pond dipping

IB students looking at invertebrate life

Leonie Brereton and Molly Dingwell collecting

data in a light summer shower!

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

NORDIC CHALLENGE
Day 1 - Sunday 11th
5am departure! Three (Aiden, J.D. and Tom) team members
and JKR in sickbay but a 4.35 am wake-up is inhumane.
Sarah arrived early and was waiting with our driver Al in
Reception. Speedy uneventful trip to Manchester Airport and
a waiting Harriet. Wow! Those searches! Not too bad at
Manchester but on changing flights at Amsterdam poor
Sarah got a complete mauling – most undignified. Arrived
Oslo (-15ºC ), met by OE Pat Parsons and driven to Sjusjen
to collect kit and supper. We were exhausted and now
greeted with -21ºC.
After a good night’s sleep we got ready for our first Nordic ski
lessons in a tropical -12ºC. Nordic skiing is an art all to itself,
and an exhausting but a fun day was had by all – bruises to More Snow and Rock
prove it. Leadership lecture in groups – supper – bed.
The conclusion to our day out was floodlit tobogganing on a
Day 2 truly fantastic track. The lift to the top was intimidating
Refining our techniques this morning and clocking up some enough, but brakes were allowed on the first run down.
kms too. Nick picked up the pace to the top of the hill, and Everyone had a fantastic time. Supper and bed!
having dropped our packs we soon dropped our sticks to Day 5
make life harder but learning the technique easier! Some
more kms at speed then thankfully back for lunch. The A change to our schedule as the Rally drivers are
afternoon involved working on our downhill technique and a encroaching on our skiing territory for the next few days. So
team challenge slalom race. – today NORDIC CHALLENGE! Teams assembled and
frantically waxed skis ready for the rally-style challenge to
After supper we had a very good presentation from Pat Lillehammer. Along the way were various special stages
Parsons, beginning with a homage to another, now involving all the team ( memory game, slalom, double pole
deceased, OE Dave Nicholls. Pat is now leading the British sprint). It was a punishing day and involved skiing straight
Schools Exploration Society Expeditions to The Falklands, through the Berkabeiner Stadium, across the bottom of the
South Georgia and Antarctica for the next 5 years. A fine Olympic ski jumps and right down a final, very tricky descent
lecture and, as Pat put it, ironic that Ellesmere should be into the Olympic Museum car park to a well-earned rest and
participating in Nordic Challenge. coach lift back. The weather was awful – near white-out all
day so with fading light we were given the rest of the
afternoon off! Shower, sauna, supermarket etc. At supper
the results were announced and we had a HUGE birthday
cake for HM St Johns and Vicky Turnbull. Bursting point!
Day 6
Wow, almost made it! 9.30 am waxed and ready to go.
Groups 2 & 3 swapped instructions for a morning of
assessment to see if we had reached the standard for Bronze
Nordic Skiing Certificate. During this assessment we covered
the 5km race course for the afternoon. The weather was quite
awful, next to no visibility and driving snow! The assessment
round the 5km went well and then both groups combined for
the downhill skills test. A sigh of relief and back for lunch.
2.30 pm was race start time and competitors were set off at 30
second intervals. A lot of energy expenditure later and we
Snow and Rock were back to hand in all our equipment and begin packing.
Day 3 We met at 6 pm for a prize-giving ceremony before supper.
After breakfast we left on the trek over the hills to Nordseter Bronze Certificates were awarded to all from Ellesmere and
which was about 6km away. It was a hard climb and then a Harriet Devonald proudly received the prize for the fastest
long and at times hairy descent with a nasty 0.5km uphill novice around the 5km course. A great ending, and supper
sting in the tail. A quick coffee-break was followed by a team and chat capped the evening off nicely.
orienteering challenge with a 2-hour cut-off point. Lunch at 2
pm was heaven and so were the waffles and chocolate in the
café. The journey back took a different route and involved a
very severe climb to the highest point, a long traverse and
then the well-earned descent back to Sjusjoen.
The evening consisted of Leadership Lecture 2 and a video
with an introduction to biathlon after supper. This was a
challenging day!
Day 4
An easier day!! Travelled by coach to Lillehammer and the
Olympic stadium. A quick practice with the Anshultz. Rifle
and then the team biathlon challenge, involving a hard ski
followed by 5 shots at 5 targets with 150m penalty laps for Even More Snow and Rock
every target missed. JD proved to be the Ellesmere
Day 7
champion. After the biathlon we visited the Olympic ski
jumps and walked down them. Breakfast at 7.30 am seemed quite civilised given our
departure time to get here! We had a good run to the airport
Those guys are nuts. At the bottom of the slopes was the where we said “Goodbye” to Nick. The rest of our journey
gymnasium where future Olympic champs are schooled in home was uneventful but long, reaching our waiting relatives
both academic studies and Winter sports. A quick coach ride
at 6 pm. All in all this was a true Nordic Challenge and an
to the Olympic Museum, where we saw a video and toured
the museum. Then we were delivered into “town” for some experience of a lifetime.
retail therapy - not at those prices! JKR

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Year 9 Thursday Afternoon Activities

The Thursday afternoon activity programme was changed For the three-day
this year in order to provide the pupils in Year 9 with an expedition just before
increased number of opportunities to experience the October half term we
activities that the school can offer. It was designed to help all went to Betws-y-
them make a more informed decision regarding the path to Coed. All the pupils
follow later on in the year. had the opportunity
In the first term and a half, the activities on offer were: first to camp outdoors for
aid, navigation, climbing, mountain biking, shooting, both nights and they
leadership tasks, camping/camp craft and kayaking, signals, had a go at cooking
rifle familiarisation, theory of flight.
for themselves. On
the first and third
days (half days), they
chose one activity (a
different one each
half day) from a
choice of climbing,
kayaking, or
mountain biking. Climbing and abseiling in the rocks
above the town

First Aid

Navigation

Kayaking on another lake in the area

Climbing

Shooting
Mountain biking around a lake in the hills around Betws.
39
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

The weather was kind on both half days for these activities, and all involved enjoyed and rose to the challenges involved.
The middle day was set aside for the ascent of Snowdon by a variety of routes according to ability. The weather was not so
kind for this challenge and the morning started out very wet indeed. However, the forecast was good and the expedition
went ahead.

Unfortunately, soon after this picture

was taken the weather changed
dramatically, and winds of 60mph
sprang up. This gave the rain,
which also became much heavier,
the ability to find its way through the
waterproof layers of everyone in the
group and also through walking
boots. The decision was sensibly
taken to return to Pen-y-pass and
the safety of the minibuses. Upon
returning to the campsite, the sun
promptly came out and allowed
everyone to attempt to dry out their
soaking clothing over the course of
the afternoon. A trip into the town
and various team-building activities
made up the remainder of the time
that day.
The 3 days were certainly an
adventure for everyone and well
worth the effort. The pupils Snowdon
returned to school ready for the welcome rest of a week’s holiday over half term, but also with some good memories of
their experiences.
In the week before Lent half term, there were a number of presentations from the Army, Navy, RAF, Green Team and
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which enabled pupils to choose their course for the next two years. Some pupils chose the
Duke of Edinburgh or the Green Team route, with the majority choosing the Combined Cadet Force.

The pupils following the CCF route

then brushed up on their weapon-
handling before they looked at other
aspects of military training during the
Lent Expedition day. They were taught
by Senior NCOs who were using the
leadership skills they had learnt in the
CCF to good effect.
After Easter, the pupils chose to
continue in either the Army, Navy or
RAF sections.
Overall this was a very successful
exercise which will be repeated and
improved upon next year. My thanks
go to the staff and the Sixth Form
students who helped make it such an
enjoyable experience for all involved.

NCOs teaching MTG

40

Green Team
The team has finished the frame for a huge new composter.
IM, Steven Quinlan, Katrina Westwood, James Haigh,
Amber Lewis-Bolton, AD, Amy Cooper & Georgina Adams
So, what has Green Team been up to this year? Well,
we raised just over £2,000 in June 2006, so first of all
we had some money to spend!! Half of the money we
sent off to Madagascar to help a new school project
there – the idea is to provide education for the local
children so that their future and the future of the fragile
ecosystem in which they live can be improved.
The other half of the money we spent on projects at the
College. First of all we built a huge composter for the
school, ready for when they buy an industrial shredder.
Then we planted a hedge all along the edge of the golf
course. The money also funded a Lower School bird-
feeding station and willow dome and bought homes for
hedgehogs, bees and insects, and materials to make
bat boxes.
Our new bird feeders have attracted many birds
Including goldfinches and woodpeckers
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Working with Shropshire Countryside Services to plant 70 trees.
Katrina Westwood, Georgina Adams, Chris Chun,
Amber Lewis-Bolton, Amy Cooper, Steven Quinlan & Tom Prime
Then we planted a wildflower meadow on some waste land,
and helped finance a Green Audit of the College by
Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
Our biggest project was, however, completely free!
Shropshire Countryside Services provided us with 70 free
trees of our choice and even advised us on the planting and
joined in with our planting team.
In June we will have the Green Team Walk again –
hopefully we will raise as much money as last year. This
year we will share our funds with WWF and the Gorilla
Foundation. The team will go off to Conwy to work on an
RSPB project for a few days before going off to Anglesey to
see the puffins.
Next year we will use the Green Audit to advise us on how
to spend our funds. Look out for some environmentally-
interesting projects coming near you soon!
CA
The Green Team Walk raised £1,000 for endangered species
and £1,000 for environmental action at Ellesmere College.
Megan Westwood, Freya West, Jennifer Griffiths & Katherine Neary
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Combined Cadet Force Report
2006-07
CO: Lt.Col.G Hutchinson
2IC: Maj.M P Clewlow
SSI: WOII B G Jones
Navy Section
Lt. F R Brooke, Sub Lt. R J Macintosh
Army Section
Maj. M P Clewlow
Capt M T Gareh, Lt K B Hilton, 2Lt R Chatterjee
2Lt K M Brockless, Lt Col (Rev’d) R E Williams, Sgt C Collins
RAF Section
Fl Lt F S Williams, Fl Lt D Joynson-Brooke, Fl Lt R K Ripley
Adult strength has been healthy in all three sections this
year, with the addition of 2Lt Brockless to the Army Section
from January 2007 to compensate for the loss of Lt Digby
in July 2006. 2Lt Brockless has extensive experience from
the RAF that includes a lot of survival skills, as well as
helicopter work. Sgt Collins also took on the important task
of training the large number of new Sixth Formers that
joined the Army Section in September 2006, a factor that
placed an additional strain on Army resources. Cadet
strengths have been at or close to establishment in all
sections and the year has been very successful, as will be
seen from the separate reports. Almost all training
objectives have been fulfilled, although the refurbishment
necessary for the indoor range limited the amount of
shooting that was completed. Work on the range was
scheduled for the Summer vacation.
During the Lent half term a small party of cadets spent the
week Nordic skiing in Norway with Fl Lt Ripley, an
experience that they described as both exhausting and
exhilarating. The annual Adventurous Training camp during
the Easter vacation was based at Morvich in the Kintail
area of the Highlands of Scotland. Snow was on the
ground for the start of the week, although it retreated
upwards as the days passed. Every day was magnificent
for mountaineering and the group completed spectacular
walks on Beinn Fhada, Forcan Ridge, and the Five Sisters,
as well as more
remote peaks
during a 48-
hour exercise in
Glen Aff r ic .
Some cadets
managed
peaks in the
week.
Beth Clewlow on
Forcan Ridge, Kintail,
Scotland
Easter Camp 2007
Colin Fergusson, William Norris
Beth Clewlow & Freddie Nevel
The Summer term brought the Biennial Review, which was
conducted by Group Captain P Cunningham BSc RAF,
Commander of RAF Shawbury. As a part of the Review
Group Captain Cunningham
visited training on a Thursday
in May, when he inspected all
sections. Additionally he
brought with him a helicopter
and a spare pilot in the form of
Fl Lt Mike Cauchi (parent),
who gave a large number of
cadets heli-familiarisation
training and flight experience.
The Contingent was in fine
fettle and during the Final
Parade the Group Captain
made some well-judged
comments and observations,
after awarding trophies to a
number of the cadets. Best
Cadet Trophies went to Jed Stella Cheng enjoying the flight
Denham (Navy), William
Norris (Army) and Harriet Devonald (RAF). Iain Disspain was
awarded the R. Blake Hartley Memorial Trophy.
GH
Light Infantry School Support Team
The College were privileged to have the Light Infantry School
Support Team spending the afternoon with the CCF cadets
from all three service sections.
They negotiated a Scimitar tank through the narrow streets
of Ellesmere and onto Nanki lawn, where our cadets were
given the opportunity to get a close-up view of how it
operates, and even some of the staff got quite excited,
including Mr T Howitt-Dring.
The presentation team gave an informal lecture on the
current use of the Challenger Tank which was well-received
by many of the more senior cadets from the Army section.
The cadets had the chance to use communication
techniques which the Army use in their many peace and war
time activities, together with trying to win the coveted prize of
a t-shirt for the worst score on the Gunnery field battle
simulator. This honour went to Harriet Devonald who is just
learning the skills of a true marksman.
Although the afternoon was not soaked in sunshine, all
participants were most grateful for the Support Team’s
9
efforts and willingness to answer the many questions that
were fired at them.
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

NAVY 2006-2007
It has been an eventful year, with many cadets
attending courses which the Navy provided,
including Cedric Carl, Oliver Dodds, Jed
Denham, Ashley Hicklin, and Andreas Wacker,
who has attended the most courses of any cadet
since I have been at Ellesmere; he went on 4
including a Channel crossing in the Fastnet race,
and gained his rescue boat qualification. All the
cadets have experienced life on board ship and
returned to the College unit with skills that they
can pass onto their peers.
In October the Naval section went to
Portsmouth and stayed aboard HMS Bristol
where we experienced life on a moored
vessel. The cadets had the opportunity to visit
HMS Victory and saw what life was like
especially as many of the cadets could not
stand upright in the cramped
conditions. Nelson's cabin was interesting,
including his bed which doubled as his coffin in
case of his demise, but as everyone knew he
came back pickled in rum; a fitting end to a sea-
faring Naval officer. The cadets also saw life on
board a submarine and took time out to go to
Cadets by HMS Victory
the newest exhibit at Portsmouth which is
called Action Stations; a truly interactive During our camping expedition, sailing and tenting skills were
experience. put to the test during some very windy days. During the
Our field day was a very enjoyable fun day at our local evening we went bowling and had a thoroughly pleasant time
sailing centre of Whitemere. The cadets had an opportunity recovering from a hectic day on the water.
to have a leisurely sail as well as demonstrate their skills at Throughout the academic year we have had the Naval
racing and barbecuing their lunch. The weather was very Career Officer guiding our cadets who are thinking of joining
kind; we had favourable winds. the Service, and she is an inspiration to all our
In July we spent a very wet and tiring 3 days at Southport youngsters. We have also had a Scimitar tank and a
Scout Water Sports Centre, where we sailed a variety of communications stand visit the CCF to enlighten our cadets
boats including Picos, Bosuns, Toppers and wind on the latest equipment which our Armed Forces have at
surfers. We were joined by Capt David Hawkins who has their disposal, both in peace-keeping and military actions.
taken over as 2 I/C from Mr Macintosh. DJB

Army 2006-2007
The Year 9 Training programme had an even greater
Adventurous Training content this year, and their Autumn
Expeditions included hill walking, climbing, kayaking and
mountain-biking in Snowdonia. The excellent weather
enabled the youngsters to enjoy a splendid first exercise.
Year 10, 11 and the new Lower Sixth group all exercised
on Nesscliffe Training Area. A strong clique of serving
OEs returned to help put on some excellent operations for
the large numbers involved. Major General, His Grace,
the Duke of Westminster visited on the first day, and he
was able to witness sub-units at a variety of stages in
their training carry out a variety of operations. These
included observation, stalking, close target
reconnaissance, communications and sniper training.
Subsequent exercises included night ambushes and The High Sheriff, Merrill Afia with D of E CCF cadets
exercises designed to improve the cadets’ skills at
For the Biennial Review in May the West Midlands Reserve
Command and Control. In March Year 10 completed their Forces Support Team deployed an inflatable assault course
Self Reliance training by carrying out a Duke of Edinburgh and a paintball target range for Year 9, whilst Years 10 and
Bronze exercise in North Wales, whilst elements of Year 9 11 carried out manoeuvres in local woods. The July
Training had their first military exercises at Nesscliffe. Expeditions proved to be the wettest experience on
After Search and Find operations overnight, Year 11 Swynnerton Training Area for two decades, but all were
completed a very demanding Advance to Contact exercise equal to the challenge, enabling the annual training
that involved quick appreciations, decision-making, programme to be completed on schedule for the Summer
planning, and the issuing of orders, followed by rapid Camp party that departed the following Saturday for Wathgill
movement and pursuit. in North Yorkshire.

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

The Wathgill programme has been extensively revised and
the cadets enjoyed some excellent packages that included
a day at a local Adventurous Training park, a range day
and a half day each on signals and command tasks, with
the latter being impressively supervised by Sheffield UOTC
officers. Tactics days included patrolling, ambushes and
section attacks. One of the best features of Wathgill
Training Area is its variety of ground, and this enabled us to
complete a splendid own exercise during the final 24 hours
in a relatively small plot. During the Final Parade prizes
were awarded to Cadet Jake Taylor for Best Shot, Cadet
Nico Wojtynia for his efforts as Unit Liaison Officer and for
Best Newcomer to Camp, and to L/Cpl Harry McElwee for
Best Junior NCO.
L/Cpl Tom Carr became the first recipient of the Tom
Wootton Memorial Trophy, which goes to the Best Cadet
on Summer Camp.
During the year a number of the first cohort of Army cadets
to pursue the BTEC First Diploma in Public Services com-
pleted their courses. These included Distinctions for Stephen
Bannister, Peter Heath and Will Norris, with Merits for Will
Blackwell and Henry Fletcher-Brewer. In July 2007
C/ Sgt Beth Clewlow gained an excellent grading in every
category of her week-long Leadership course at the Frimley
Park Cadet Centre, an achievement matched by only one
other of the 120 cadets drawn from around the country who
completed such courses that Summer.
GH

Taking a break, Summer Camp 2007

Tom Carr and George Tatchell winning the dinghy race
Wathgill, Summer Camp 2007

Observing from cover

James Davies and Tomos Roberts

Wathgill, Summer Camp 2007

Lt Col.Hutchinson and Maj Clewlow

observing the assault course and
thinking that they could have done
Sam Clewlow about to set off Wathgill, Summer Camp 2007 better in their day!
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

RAF 2006-2007
Our year began with the now annual visit to Swynnerton
Training Area with Newcastle-under-Lyme School.
However this occasion was to be different. The weather
was particularly awful, and whilst the cadets made effective
bashas to protect themselves from the rain during the night,
they were no defence from the mud slides. The full-bore
shooting and the night exercise were of the usual high
standard and cadets were treated to a guided tour of the
Staffordshire Police helicopter which happened to ‘drop in’.
Continuing the green theme, the cadets enjoyed the
portable climbing wall brought in by the Light Infantry, and
at a later date the tank brought over by the local recruiters.
Full-bore shooting on the College outdoor range has been
particularly successful with many more cadets passing the
weapon- handling test. Cadets learning to ‘raft’ on Llyn Geirionydd near Bettws
Twelve cadets have taken to the air at Cosford, several of
them for the first time, whilst 6 went gliding at Tern Hill. Our field day in March was held at DCAE Cosford, where
each cadet flew in the Grob Tutor and practised their flying
For our expedition we went Adventure Training in North skills. We were also able to visit the superb newly-opened
Wales and enjoyed the modest luxury of a youth hostel just Cold War Museum.
outside Bettws y Coed . This time the weather was very The Summer term was concluded with a camp at DCAE
kind to us and we were able to undertake all the activities Cosford. This included navigation exercises, plenty of fly-
we had planned. Flt Lt Kim Ripley was able to make good ing, and a night escape and evasion exercise with the
use of her hard-won canoeing qualification, spending a full chance to wear plenty of ‘cam cream’.
Sadly, at the end of term we said goodbye to Sgt Graeme
day training our novice cadets. Flt Sgt Graeme Bell from
Bell, our RAF liaison NCO. He has been most supportive of
Shawbury and Mrs Suzanne Hutchinson, one of our regular
our activities over the last few years, and he has always
helpers, also gave sterling service. managed to keep us supplied with kit.
A highlight of our time away was the traditional meal FSW
prepared and served by our Chinese cadets. It really was
excellent, with nice big portions for those healthy appetites.
We were only too happy to do all the washing up for our
cooks.
During the winter months our classroom training has
consisted of such subjects as theory of flight, airfield layout
and aircraft recognition. Weapon training has been
completed with all cadets passing their safety handling test.
We have spent a little more time on our drill this term in
readiness for our biennial review in May.

Another successful loop the loop

by Harriet Devonald

John Brien, Laurence Wiggington & Harriet Devonald

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Duke of Edinburgh
Gold Award
The Team
Duke of Edinburgh Expedition July 2007
The two weeks in France were demanding, mentally and
physically, but the experiences and memories we picked up
on the way made it all worth it. We have all these
wonderful memories and experiences because as a group
we supported each other so well, therefore making the
atmosphere positive and enjoyable even at the most
difficult times. Group dynamics I therefore view as the
most important factor to getting the most out of this trip,
because as long as you work together and give your best
everyone benefits. But as soon as the group breaks down
people become miserable and you just don’t get the same
out of it. Therefore I owe all my great memories I have
taken away with me to all the other members in my group
for making it such an enjoyable experience.
Pippa Rickett
This paragraph is about one of the loves of my life; no, not
France and no, not canoeing and unfortunately not women
either, it’s all about food. All I can honestly say is that
nobody in my group ever went hungry, we ate like kings,
from the spaghetti bolognese and beef stroganoff in the
evening to French toast and bacon butties for breakfast. We
were always out on the river in the morning with full
stomachs and in our tents at the end of the day belching with
satisfaction.
The one thing that pleased me the most was the progression
of our group in the kitchen. I have always been able to cook
for myself and have an array of recipes, but I was really
pleased with the way the rest of the group participated.
There was a great deal of camaraderie during meal times
and everyone chopped, sliced ‘n diced their way through the
long Summer evenings. Every member of the group went
away from the trip with some new-found culinary skills and I
am very proud to say I was part of that group. And when you
wrap a canoe around a rock and turn it into a tin mess then
there’s nothing better than having a group that you know will
be there for you, but its also nice to know that there’s going
to be a feast in your mess tin at the end of it all. Bon appetit!
Joel Galley
46
The Duke of Edinburgh France expedition was everything I
expected it to be and more, with two legendary instructors
and Mrs Cowan and Mrs McCarthy, the organisers of the trip.
The trip was successful in that everyone passed, everyone
survived and everyone had extremely good fun along the
way. Coming home was the worst, leaving the gorgeous
weather.
I just like to thank Mrs Cowan and Mrs McCarthy for all
their efforts in organising and running the trip and I hope
Mrs Cowan and Mrs McCarthy took out good travel
insurance to replace the canoes because two out of the five
were only fit for scrapping after the trip down the
Allier. The Duke of Edinburgh Expedition to France was an
amazing experience and was a well worth trip and I
wouldn’t think twice about going again.
Oliver Suckley
When you are on the practise expedition the tension
between the group can get really high and the arguments
can occur. This is the biggest thing to deal with and it will
always take the bigger people to learn to deal with this and
also help the other members of the group. One of the main
reasons for the Duke of Edinburgh is working within a team
and looking after the other weaker members. When we
were on our last expedition before France we had a really
long day and when we all had eventually got to the right
campsite/field we had to put the tents up and make a
substantial meal in the darkness, this meant that we were
all really agitated with each other and the situation. This all
could be prevented through simply just preparing yourself
and the equipment which we managed more in France,
which in turn made a considerable difference to the
atmosphere with the group.
Michael Langton

The English language is one of the most widely spoken
languages in the world, almost every country in Europe is
either competent or grasps the basics of our tongue,
however, we British are a lazy nation, we rely upon other
foreign peoples to speak our own language, but when they
don’t, confusion! The expedition to France is a prime
example where knowledge of a language foreign to our
own was in some cases vital!
I like many others in our group had a minima grasp on the
French language, this minimal grasp was very helpful, but
in may cases we resorted to hand gestures, and thus got
many strange and bemused looks. I would hugely
recommend reading up on basic French or any native
language before going on an expedition. When me and
two other people were milling about a French town, looking,
somewhat in vain, for a shop with food and drinks (non
alcoholic of course…) It was after half an hour of milling
that we decided to resort to our poor French language, in
doing so creating a language of our own, franglai, “oue e le
shop our errrr…Drink (hand gesture)” luckily the person we
asked spoke English, but in many cases they don’t, so to
make the most of your trip, LEARN FRENCH!
Which leads nicely on to the aptly named ‘French
invasion’. One night in a campsite just on the river, me and
the other guys in the tent heard reselling, propping our
heads against the tent wall we heard more and more
getting closer and closer, then suddenly, BANG, out tent
was bombarded by stones and twigs, rushing outside we
obviously scared off the ‘French’ assailants, so comforted
by our apparent frightening demeanour we settled down for
some well earned rest, but then again, stones fell like
bombs on the tent, we had had enough, running outside at
full pelt, expecting to find a group of French lads, (or B****y
frogs as we were then calling them). We found them hiding
behind a bush all we could hear as we were chasing them
as “no, no, measurem, me excuse excuse” but upon
hearing “wow general” we stopped, still half asleep and
really brain dead, we found it was not the French but the
English, and the English in our group at that. We had a
great laugh about it and stumbled back in to our tents, in a
manner that really represented dawn of the dead. If only
we knew that the “French” we heard from the assailants
was not French but a weird “special brew’ of French Italian
and English then maybe the ‘French invasion’ would never
have happened. Of course that was a blatant lie and it
would have happened anyway, as D of E, is not only
proving yourself, showing discipline and leadership,
organisation and mental and physical drive, it’s also about
fun, and in France cheap drink!
Hal Collison
Rough ride
47
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
When I leave Ellesmere College I will most definitely look
back and remember the laughs and adventure of the Duke of
Edinburgh expeditions. It’s my most treasured and best
memory. The two-week trip to the South of France was a
once-in-a-lifetime experience that was unforgettable, which
gave me team-work skills, confidence and determination and
mainly a lot of fun. Completing the award was an amazing
achievement for the whole group.
Sophie Mullock
As we loaded the canoes to travel to France, one of the main
talking points was if we would be back in time two weeks
later to make it to the last night of Wakestock!
Returning to Ellesmere after a fortnight of awesome
canoeing on the swollen rivers of the Allier and Dordogne,
Wakestock seemed not at all important! We had a fantastic
time with friends, savouring Joel’s cooking, listening to
Burrow’s constant chat and although we were tired everyone
was on a high.
Thanks very much to Mrs McCarthy, Rory McCarthy and Mrs
Cowan for making it happen.
Sam Corran
Didn’t they do well! After a fairly shaky start to the year this
group ended up as solid as a rock. In several cases as solid
as the rocks they wrecked their boats on. I don’t think that
Mrs Cowan and I will ever forget the sound of an aluminium
canoe having its back broken just a few yards behind us.
Great ingenuity was also observed, however, in the way they
stuffed the holes with leaf -filled plastic bags to get the boat
to the end of the day’s paddle (16 rapids further on) and the
way in which the whole group kept their spirits high as we
paddled into the rock-strewn twilight.
They were possibly the best chefs we have had with us, too,
and sampling their meals was a necessity for us. Someone
had to do it.
Ben - our incredibly positive river Assessor - who was
unfailingly encouraging and helpful, and Ruari - master
canoe repairer - whowas great to have around. Thank you
so much to both of them, and to Mike Jarvis, who came to
make up numbers originally, and spent a great deal of his
time up to his oxters in cold water helping boats down rapids!
R McC
Presentation of Duke of Edinburgh
Silver Awards
R. McCarthy, Lewis Wantling, Mrs Merrill Afia, High Sherriff,
Oliver Suckley, Matt Burrows & Debbie Felstead, DoE Officer
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Bronze Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Award programmes for Bronze and
Silver had a complete overhaul this year. The year was
divided into sections to include preparation and training for
Expeditionss and also time spent on the Service element of
the scheme.
From September through to October, time was spent
covering the basics of navigation, camp craft, cooking,
rucksack packing and emergency procedures. Then at half
term came the practice expeditions.
The Bronze group set off for their practice expedition in the
Berwyn mountains. The group was led by Mrs Paton and
assisted by Dr Tompkins, Mr Swainson and, as a late
entrant, Mrs Fisher. The purpose of the expedition was to
prepare the group for their final expedition in the Summer
term. This involved the use of map-reading skills and the
use of the compass as well as general camp craft.
Day 1 saw the group set off at Glyndyfrdwy and make their
way through to their first camp site, which was at Glyn
Ceiriog. Much of the day was spent navigating their way
along various footpaths and using the map as the main point
of reference.
Point to point navigation near Llyn Coch
The morning of Day 2 saw the group up bright and early and
raring to go for the final leg of their expedition. During the
day they were to walk from Glyn Ceiriog to the picturesque
area of Pistyll Rhaedr where, after a day of compass work
and pacing, they set up for their final camp.
Day 3 was a rest day and the students had certainly earned
it. They set off back to school, cold and wet through but still
in good spirits. They were certainly cheered by the
unscheduled stop-over to Macdonalds!
The two-day walk was valuable training for the group and
this certainly stood them in good stead for their final
expedition in the Summer.
The Silver group went to Snowdonia with Mr Stanway, Ms
Abbots and Mike ‘The Beast’ Pugh, an Outdoor Activities
instructor.
48
They were put through an intensive three-day course of
navigation and expedition skills in the harsh surroundings
of the Moelwyn Mountains.
Day 1 included an orienteering course against the clock in
which all impressed with their all-round map skills. In the
evening there was a round of seminars on the intricacies of
micro-navigation – skills they would need for the second
day.
On Day 2, the weather turned and rain came down in golf-
ball-sized drops. During the three-hour walk into the hills
everyone became soaked to the skin and refuge was
eventually found in the abandoned quarry buildings at
Cwmorthin. Despite this spirits were high, and the group
set off to find a suitable place to use as a wild campsite for
the night. This was to prove difficult as visibility was poor
and the ground was covered in knee-deep water.
Eventually some higher ground was found, and as the
tents were pitched the rain began to ease off. After a
quick bite to eat the group was separated, and under the
guidance of Mr Pugh and Mr Stanway completed an
arduous point-to-point navigation exercise. They then
returned to the campsite to prepare for a
long cold night in the mountains as the
staff walked back out to the campsite in
the valley.
When they arrived at the meeting point in
the valley at 9 am the next morning, cold,
damp but still in good spirits, they were
met with a nasty surprise. After being
taken in the minibus into a nearby forest,
they walked through to reach a rocky
outcrop overlooking a waterfall. The
challenge – to jump from the rocks into
the freezing stream some 30 feet below.
To the credit of the whole group, they all
immediately rose to the challenge and
took the plunge!
After Expeditions, the students started
on the Service sections of the award. On
Thursday afternoons, some students
have been doing conservation work at
Erddig, Hawkstone Folly or with
Ellesmere’s Countryside Service
Rangers. Others have been supporting primary school
teachers in local schools, helping younger children with
reading and games activities. All had a new and rewarding
experience. Another group elected to participate in the
Level 1 Sports Leaders Award. This is an award scheme
for young people which acts as the first rung on the ladder
to getting involved in coaching sporting activities. It
involved learning how to organise groups, give clear
instructions, organise equipment and give coaching tips in
a wide range of sports. This may sound quite simple, but
is a real challenge and all the students worked hard to
develop the range of skills and personal qualities required.
This culminated in their final assessment, where they took
over and ran Lower School Games for a two-hour session
coaching cricket and rounders. In September 19 students
were presented by Mr Wignall with their award.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Junior Sports Leader Awards

As part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award programmes, the
students must complete a period of service.
In previous years we have had pupils supporting Lower
School games lessons on Thursdays, but this year I wanted
something a bit more formal.
The Level 1 Junior Sports Leaders Award is accredited by an
organisation called Sports Leaders UK. It is an award for 14-
16 year-olds who have an interest in becoming involved in
sports coaching.
It is essentially the first step on the ladder toward becoming a
coach. The idea is to introduce young people to the basics of
organising equipment, planning activities, controlling a group,
health and safety issues and encouraging fair play. It is not
specific to any one sport.
The group worked really hard, and over the course of the year
showed a huge improvement in their personal skills and really
enjoyed the opportunities and challenges it presented. For
some it was a real eye-opener to be in the role of teacher and
experience what is like to have to motivate, organise and
encourage groups of young children.
George Forgrave contemplates the route down
PMS
After Easter, it was back to preparation for the final
expeditions. The Bronze group this time turned their
attention to the Clwydian mountain range. The group
had become a little smaller in number by this time but
the die-hards were still up for the challenge. They were
a fantastic group who really got stuck in, despite the
appalling weather and poor visibility for much of the
walks. Days 1 and 2 saw the group complete the final
expedition and they were all given glowing reports by the
assessor, Mr Cowley, who complimented them on their
mature approach to the event. As a reward for their
efforts the group were treated to the cinema and
popcorn, which they all duly enjoyed. The expedition
was rounded off by a trip on Day 3 to Waterworld in
Wrexham, where aching bones were soothed in the
jacuzzi, before the group headed back to school.
For their final expedition, the Silver group returned to
Snowdonia, this time in the Rhinog mountain range.
Some awful weather conditions on the first day meant a James Cole, George Brereton, Thomas Davies, Charlie Clutton,
forced change to the route plan, but by Day 2 the Cameron Milne, Euan Crispin, Henry Walton & Henry Hackett
weather had cleared slightly and an enjoyable day was
had walking over mountains to Trawsfynydd reservoir.
The highlight of the day was
James Norman’s plunge into a
seemingly unpassable stream –
until a bridge was discovered
50m upstream.
Again, poor weather hindered the
groups on the third day, but all
arrived safe and sound in
Talsarnau village, wet but proud
of their achievements. As a
group they impressed over the
course of the two expeditions
with their preparation, maturity
and ability to cope with some
shocking weather conditions. A
huge well done goes to all
involved – this is an award that
has been well-earned!
The group stop for a well earned rest, Theo Teal, George Forgave, James Norman,
PMS Lizzy Boffey, Grace Kendall, Tim Courage & Rhodri Fieldhous

49
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Chapel of Saint Oswald,

King & Martyr

Harvest Festival

Christmas Carols

Display cases donated by the

Old Ellesmerian Club
50
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Art

Laura Griffiths
Alice Denham, GCSE , GCSE

Amy Cooper, GCSE Deri Russell

GCSE

GCSE Ewan Crispin, GC

Stephanie Platt, SE

51
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Level
u rrows, AS Harriet Devonald, A Level
Matthew B

Robert
Coates
, AS Lev
el

Sarah-Jane Beswick, A Level

AS Level
Patrick Gorman,

Sophie Mullo
ck, AS Leve
l

Alice Dapling, A Level

Paula Van-Niekerk, AS
Adam Churton, AS Level Level
52
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Debating
BPWO Public Speaking Competition Once again Hadleigh’s penchant for comic timing paid off,
and Chris was more comfortable with his speech, and
The Business &
both were rewarded with prizes for their efforts; Chris won
Professional Women’s
“Best Speaker” while Hadleigh won “Best Chairman”. The
Organisation is a national
group of ladies who give team’s efforts were further rewarded when it was
of their time to help others announced that they had won “Best Team” too, beating
and to allow others to superb teams from Stoneyhurst College amongst others.
show their potential. Their This meant that the National Final was our next goal!
annual Public Speaking The Final took place at Moreton Hall, Oswestry and
Competition is one such
way in which they do the once again the standard had been knocked up a
latter. gear! Schools from England’s South West, North
The first round of the West and South as well as from Scotland and
competition took place at Northern Ireland were there and the quality of the
The Wynnstay Hotel in teams was once again dazzling. Our three boys did
Oswesty in October 2006. very well but in the end lost out to Queen Elizabeth’s
Chris Bevan, Hadleigh Hospital School, Bristol. However, despite not
Roberts and David Anders
coming out on top in the final round the boys, myself
-Richards formed Team
One w hile W illiam Hadleigh Roberts, Chris Bevan and the College should be very proud that we made
Bartlett, Grace Kendall & David Anders-Richards it to the National Final of such a difficult competition.
and Lizzie Boffey formed Team Two. Both teams went to Well done!
Oswestry and took on teams from Moreton Hall, Oswestry
CLC
School and Thomas Telford School. The quality of the
speeches prepared was staggering and all of the students
from all of the schools performed incredibly well.
However, it was the team consisting of Bevan, Roberts
and Anders-Richards which was to come out on top.
Hadleigh’s use of wit, Christopher’s composure when
delivering his speech and David’s all-round nice-guy
approach saw the boys go through to the Regional Final
in Clitheroe in January 2007. David even managed to win
the “Best Expresser of Thanks” Cup.
Next came Clitheroe and a very early start! 6 am on a
Saturday morning seems very unjust. But there was a
gentle train ride up to the North of the country and a
lovely hotel waiting for us so it was quite an easy morning.
However, the hard work came when the competition
began at 11 am. The standard had been lifted even higher
– the speeches were phenomenal and our boys had quite The Boys on the day of the National Final
a task ahead of them. They all rose to the occasion.

Mace Competition 2006

Way back in the dreary depths of
No v e m b e r , Ch r i s B e v a n a n d
Hadleigh Roberts took part in the
Schools Mace Competition at Bishop
Heber School. There they took on a
team from Shrewsbury School,
debating whether England should
once again become separate from
the rest of Britain and governed by
i t s e l f. Ri g h t f r o m t h e of f s et
Shrewsbury played dirty tactics and
stole the show with their ability to
overwhelm the floor quite literally
with words.
A valiant fight ensued and a few
illegal punches were thrown but
despite the best efforts of the two
boys Shrewsbury went on to win and
The Boys with The BPWO North West President go through to the next round.

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Awards for Public Speaking & Debating
2006-2007
Christopher Bevan Services to Debating & Public
Speaking tie
Debating Colours for out-standing
contributions in Mace Competition,
BPWO Competition
Inter-House Debating
Member of Debating Society
Hadleigh Roberts Services to Debating & Public
Speaking tie.
Debating Colours for his part in
Mace Competition
BPWO Competition
Inter-House Debating
Member of Debating Society
David Anders- Services to Debating & Public
Richards Speaking tie
Debating Colours for his part in
BPWO Competition
Inter-House Debating.
Honourary Member of Debating Society
Johannes Beil Member of Debating Society
Debating Half Colours for contributions
to Society and Inter-House competition
Andreas Wacker Member of Debating Society
Debating Half Colours for contributions
to Society and Inter-House competition
Joshua Boswell Member of Debating Society
Half Colours for contribution to
Inter-House Debating
Niko Wojtynia Member of Debating Society
Half Colours for contribution to
Inter-House Debating
Zoe Haynes Honourary Member of Debating Society
In order to recognise the plethora of talent we have here at
Ellesmere for speaking in a debating situation I have
presented to the College The Bevan Cup for Best Junior
Speaker in a Debate. The obvious talent we currently have
at the lower end of the school needed some recognition
and the commitment from the four-times Inter House
Debate winner Chris Bevan to Debating and Public
Speaking also needed to be recognised so I came up with
the idea for his Cup.
The Bevan Cup was awarded for 2007 to Nicholas West
(Meynell) for the excellent speech he made during the
Junior first round of the Inter-House competitions. He had
all of the right ingredients in his speech that should allow
him to be a superb talent in this field. Congratulations to
Nicholas and also to Chris (and his brother Jonathan) for
his continuing commitment to this arena. Long may it
continue.
CLC
Debating Society
The Debating Society was established at the start of the
Lent term 2007 and proved to be a success. Some 15
pupils from Year 9 up to Year 13 attend once a fortnight to
learn how to debate, how to research, how to deliver and
how to think on your feet. Essentially proceedings are
conducted by those who are ‘experts’ in the field and they
impart their knowledge to the younger novices. Mini
debates take place and there’s plenty of fun as well as
discussion.
I hope that the Society goes on to do well and produce
more excellent debaters.
CLC
Junior Inter House Competition
First Round – February 2007
Final Round – March 12th 2007
Wakeman-Lambart v Meynell
J. Leahy D. Coppinger
F. Herzog N. West
L. Ottaway A. Wynne-Jones
Woodard v Talbot
J. Boswell S. Clewlow
Z. Haynes J. Pescod
N. Wojtynia W. Bevan

Freddie Herzog Member of Debating Society Wakeman-Lambart (Proposition) v Meynell (Opposition)

Half Colours for contribution to This House believes that the Honours List
Inter-House Debating is an outdated concept.
Woodard (Proposition) v Talbot (Opposition)
This House believes that football is
James Leahy Honourary Member of Debating Society
no longer a beautiful game.
This year the standard of the Junior Competition was
Luke Ottaway Honourary Member of Debating Society exceptionally high. The first round saw all four teams taking
part and I was so glad that I was not on the judging panel
that evening. Every one involved, some of whom had never
taken part before, had prepared themselves and were
incredibly well organised. The main speakers on all four
teams knew their topics well, and had researched and
prepared an effective speech. All speakers were strongly
supported by their team mates with a few very impressive
opening speeches being delivered. Following the speeches
there were some imposing questions flying around and
despite the pressure of the moment all of those involved
dealt with them superbly.
54

Woodard & Talbot Junior Team
Wakeman-Lambart & Meynell Junior Team
Particular mention should go to Nicholas West whose
speech for Meynell was phenomenal. It was like listening to a
professional speaker – the research was there combined
with just the right amount of personal opinion and delivered
in an enthralling manner with great tone, pace and volume.
Nicholas was admirably supported by Dominick Coppinger
whose opening speech and ability to think on his feet
revealed a totally new side to this particular young man. The
award for the most comic team of the evening had to go to
Talbot who provided some very entertaining one-liners, most
notably Sam Clewlow and Johnny Pescod’s attempts to
justify football hooliganism and physical violence.
An excellent event – well done. The evening revealed some
true talent for debating and public speaking at a Junior level.
I wish all those who took part the very best for the future and
hope that they all continue to get involved in Debating at
Ellesmere in the future. A big thank you to the judges’ panel
(Mrs Fox, Dr. Tompkins, Maura Van Voris & Mr. Crawford)
too who gave of their time to support the occasion.
Winning teams – Wakeman-Lambart & Woodard
Final Round
Woodard (Proposition) v Wakeman-Lambart (Opposition)
This House believes that the noble art of boxing
should be reintroduced into schools.
The Junior Final took place on the same evening as the Senior
Final event and once again lived up to expectations. Joshua
Boswell literally put on his gloves for Woodard’s part in the
debate and took Freddie Herzog on the chin with a firm right
hook. Despite a fierce discussion, some intense questioning
and some excellent background knowledge, Wakeman-
Lambart lost out to Woodard by a very narrow margin.
Well done to Woodard Team – Joshua Boswell, Zoe Haynes
& Niko Wojtynia.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Senior Inter House Debating
First Round – March 5th 2007
Final Round – March 12th 2007
Meynell (Proposition) v Wakeman-Lambart (Opposition)
This House believes that religion is a
private not a public matter.
Talbot (Proposition) v Woodard (Opposition)
This House believes that one man’s freedom fighter
is another man’s terrorist.
Meynell Team:
R. Oliver, H. Roberts & A. Wacker
Talbot Team:
W. Bartlett, C. Bevan & J. Beil
Woodard Team:
D. Anders-Richards, C. Perkins & E. Boffey
Wakeman-Lambart Team:
I. Disspain, V. Cooper & J. Denham
This event promised to be an excellent occasion. The
competition started 4 years ago and from Day One Chris
Bevan has been a member of the winning Talbot team.
Being in the Upper Sixth now the event was to be his final
opportunity to put his name on the winning shield and go
down in history.
The topics chosen for the evening were in themselves
challenging, and proved to be quite difficult for some to get
their teeth into. Nevertheless, all of those who took part
gave the debates their best shot. The evening began with
Meynell taking on Wakeman-Lambart and the topic proved
to be the downfall of the latter team. As Mr. Purcell pointed
out in his commentary after the event, being prepared is
essential in this sort of event and Wakeman-Lambart
weren’t as prepared as they could have been. They
shrivelled under Meynell’s ability to think on their feet and
gave up towards the end of the proceedings. The mighty
Meynell went through to the final round with ease.
The second debate of the evening saw Talbot take on
Woodard and this proved to be a very different affair. The
Talbot team tried to knock their team down with vocabulary
and flair but Woodard rose to the challenge and although it
took them a while to get started they were able to respond
to Talbot’s challenges. However, Bevan’s experience in the
fighting arena proved just a little too overwhelming and
Talbot went through to the next round.
The final took place the following week:
Talbot (Proposition) v Meynell (Opposition)
This House believes that Stem Cell Research is wrong.
This was an excellent debate and followed on from the very
strong Junior Final. I did not think that the standard of the
evening could get any higher after the stunning Junior event
but I was wrong; the Senior event proved to be outstanding
and will go down as having been one of the best final rounds
on record.
Both teams had done their research and were quoting all
sorts of people in their speeches, both teams had firm and
vehement opinions and conveyed them convincingly to the
audience, and both teams were able to respond to questions
from the audience and each other quickly and cleverly. The
atmosphere was one of friendly but fierce competition and,
although a little heated at times with some quite convoluted
scientific comments being discussed, it was incredibly
impressive to listen to both teams. In the end it came down
to just 2 marks difference and Talbot won – for the fourth
time in a row!
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Special comment should be made about both Andreas

Wacker and Johannes Beil – both of these young men were
debating intensely difficult subjects in a foreign language and
both held their own exceptionally well. Well done too to
Richard Rimmer who was a “Debating Virgin” but with his
cool delivery and style helped to take Meynell through to the
Final. A special thank you again to the judges on the panel
who gave up their time to make a very difficult decision – Mr.
Purcell, Mrs. Fox, Mr. Clewlow, Dr. Tompkins and Mr.
Boswell.
A superb ending to my time as “Madam Chair” at Ellesmere
and a very BIG THANK YOU to Chris and Hadleigh for the
gavel they presented to me.
CLC

Meynell Senior Team Talbot Senior Debating Team

Wakeman Lambart Senior Debating Team Woodard Senior Debating Team

56

Drama
A Level Performance Studies Group
A Community Performance Project at Chirk Castle
Chloe Perkins, Katie Irby, Hadleigh Roberts & Chris Bevan
Chris Bevan, Hadleigh Roberts, Chloe Perkins and Katie Irby
were the enterprising and creative producers, writers and
performers of a half hour comedy performed in the long gallery
and the Chapel of Chirk Castle.
The group found inspiration after a visit to the castle and
decided to create a piece of drama based on the theme of
“boundaries”. This reflected the Welsh/English border castles
as well as defining lines drawn between master and servant
and man and woman. They chose to perform the piece in the
masked style of Commedia dell’Arte, originally a seventeenth
century Italian dramatic tradition.
The visitors to Chirk Castle in October 2006 were delighted
and surprised by these colourful and exuberant characters
who mixed with the audience and led them through the castle
on a comic journey of improbable relationships and
pantomime situations.
Masked revellers Chirk Castle!
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The 5th Annual Ellesmere College
House Play Festival - October 2006
Talbot House
The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Chris Bevan
Chris Bevan directed this clever spoof of a country house
murder mystery with discipline and intelligence. The cast
gave some very funny performances, particularly the
eponymous Inspector played with great sparkle by Will
Bartlett and the absurd Magnus wonderfully overacted by
Charles Chambers.
Woodard House
The Virtuous Burglar by Dario Fo
Directed by Alex Deller
Dario Fo’s manic farce of adultery and corruption was
brought vividly to life by a talented cast. Woodard seem to
specialise in the genre of farce and the comic timing of this
year’s cast was a joy to behold! Joshua Boswell and Chloe
Perkins worked together very well, while the burglar, played
by David Anders-Richards, was a lovely comic creation.
Meynell House
Gasping by Ben Elton
Directed by Hadleigh Roberts
The premise of this comedy is only too plausible as society
discovers that air has been privatised and is now being
packaged, marketed and sold at a premium! The cast took
on this tricky play with bravery and gusto and barring some
lost lines and prompting they managed to take us inside
Ben Elton’s dystopian vision.
Wakeman-Lambart
Frankenstein’s Guests by Martin Downing
Directed by Iain Disspain
A pantomime of a play, this rollicking spoof of every
Transylvanian horror film you have ever seen was a great
hit with the audience. Sam Fairbank was the dynamo at
the heart of the comedy and was ably assisted by the
gloriously preposterous Egor, played to the hilt by Jed
Denham.
We welcomed Kevin Tomlinson back as our commentator
this year, fresh from his successes on the Edinburgh Fringe
and on tour in Australia. Kevin gave each play a full critique
and gave the performers the benefit of his knowledge,
expertise and humour.
The Festival was concluded with our prestigious Ellies
Awards ceremony.
RPB
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Ruckus in the Garden by David Farr

Ruckus in the Garden

Sarah-Jane Edwards, Katie Irby, Chris Bevan & Ian Disspain

Cast List
Riverdale Comprehensive School St Nectan’s Grant Maintained School
Stanley Niall Crispin Tamsen Katie Irby
Frazer Joel Galley Maisie Sarah-Jane Edwards
Hugh Chris Bevan
Rock Hadleigh Roberts
Clive Iain Disspain
Cath Chloe Perkins Cupids Jamie Cartwright, Alex Deller Jed Denham,
Billie Beth Clewlow Teng Tulathummatorn, Hal Collison
Gardeners Sarah-Jane Beswick, Molly Dingwall
Leonie Brereton, Harriet Devonald
Teachers William Bartlett, Sarah Lowe

Senior School Play March 2007

Entry in the Royal National Theatre Connections Festival
Selected for performance at The Lowry, Salford Quays April 2007
The Sixth Form cast of Ruckus gave some memorable performances of this frantic farce both at College and at The Lowry. The
two fictional schools in the play, one selective, one truly comprehensive, battled it out in a seventeenth century garden.
Niall Crispin as the idealistic Stanley gave a passionate performance which was matched by his on-stage girlfriend, the under-
confident but clever Cath, very well portrayed by Chloe Perkins. Another pair of star-crossed lovers were the smart and handsome
Hugh and the bitchy and vituperative Tamsen, both played to great comic effect by Katie Irby and Chris Bevan. Supporting these
two pairs were the dim-witted Clive and the “mouthy” Billie, neither of them type-cast in the shapes of Iain Disspain and Beth
Clewlow. Joel Galley’s Frazer
was always looking for a fight
and Hadleigh Roberts and
Sarah-Jane Edwards as Rock
and Maisie just wanted to hide
in the bushes…and read Jane
Austen!
There was a great supporting
cast of musicians, Cupids and
gardeners and the whole
performance was a great
success. Will Bartlett was a
hard-working and inspired
assistant director who came up
with set designs and many
clever staging ideas. The
production received a glowing
report from the Royal National
Theatre Visiting Assessor, the
actress Sirine Saba.
RPB The cast warm up in the Lowry rehearsal room
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“Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare

February 2007

Cast List
Director: C. Clewlow, Assistant Director: M. Van Voris
Don Pedro – Joshua Boswell Margaret – Nin Cooper / Elizabeth Boffey
Benedick – David Anders-Richards Dogberry – Zoe Haynes
Beatrice – Nin Cooper / Elizabeth Boffey Watchmen – Johnny Pescod, Samantha Wolfson
Hero – Rebecca Britton Verges – Tessa Fawcett
Claudio – Sam Clewlow Don John – Harry McElwee
Leonato – Freddie Herzog Borachio – Niko Wojtynia
Antonio – William Bevan Conrad – Dominick Coppinger
Friar Francis – Maxwell Scully Sexton – Charlotte Boffey
Ursula – Harriet Tomlinson Messenger – Luke Ottaway

Extras – Natasha Evans, Rhian Davies, Grace Kendall

Stage Tech. – Tristam Thomas, Hannah Edge, Rachel Harrison

Ellesmere’s Drama department decided that we would take Poor old

part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival and that we would Joshua Boswell
perform a comedy – Much Ado About Nothing. This particular had to endure
Shakespearian comedy has many twists and turns including wearing a very
quite a complex sub-plot. However, this did not put us off, and garish costume
just before Christmas everyone who was interested had while David
auditioned and parts were allocated. Strict instructions were Anders-Richards
issued to learn lines over the Christmas break. struggled with
his voice after
Upon returning after the break hardly anyone had learned
suffering from a
their lines! Surprise, surprise! But this did not discourage
bout of laryngitis.
Maura Van Voris, the Assistant Director, from her task. She
Finally, after four
delivered severe instructions to the cast that lines absolutely
and a half weeks Sam Clewlow Freddie Herzog
had to be learned otherwise they would have to take her on...
of r e h e ar s al as Claudio & Max Scully
… naturally everyone learned their lines very quickly!
time, the show
With only 4 weeks until the performance we had an awful lot was ready, costumes were organised and the National Youth
of work to do so we got right on it. Everyone gave up their Theatre workshop, which comes as part of the Festival
Monday nights to rehearse as well as package, had been attended. We were set to go.
several afternoons. Slowly but surely the Two performances of the final show were staged in College
show began to come together. As ever with the final show due to take place at Telford’s Oakengates
there were some performances that really Theatre. We arrived on February 9th hyped up, excited and
began to shine. Harry McElwee was raring to go but the weather was against us. As it turned out
revealing a real talent for performing; his snow stopped the performance. We were stuck in Telford
Don John was dark, surly and enigmatic. eating 26 bags of chips and 26 bottles of Fanta.
Sam Clewlow literally threw himself into
his role as Claudio and spent a lot of time The snow meant that we did not get to perform on a real
on his knees. Nin Cooper and Lizzie stage in front of a paying audience but I think I speak for the
Boffey were sharing the role of Beatrice entire cast when I say it was a real adventure! To say thank
because as Year 11s they would not you for their efforts and to celebrate the fact that we had put
have the chance to take on a main role on a good show in a very short space of time we all visited
again, so they agreed to share. Both girls the Black Lion Hotel in Ellesmere for a slap-up meal.
brought something different to the role Thank you to the entire cast for making my final Director’s
with Nin being the slightly nonchalant role at Ellesmere such a joy! Good luck to you all for the
Beatrice while Lizzie was the sensible but Harry McElwee future dramatic roles I hope you will take on.
self-assured one. as Don John CLC
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Years 7 & 8 Play, February 2007

Oliver Jones, Lewis Allsop, Luke Taylor, Joe Pescod, Bethany Lyttle & Iona Jackland
Cast List
Mother Heidi Caldecott Spider Bethany Lyttle
Father Harry McClements Ladybird Iona Jackland
Narrators Jenny Griffiths, Sarah Carr, Earth Worm Lewis Allsop
Kate Parry, Vicky von Hoven,
Natalie Pickford, Alex Fearn Glow Worm Joe Pescod
Aunt Sponge Paige Rudd Captain Alex Fogg
Aunt Spiker Grace Tomlinson First Officer Jacob Edge
James Trotter Luke Taylor Second Officer Will Mapstone
Little Old Man Georgie Ottoway Cloud Men Kate Neary, Lucia Jones, Eleanor Biggs,
Crowd Member Sarah Richardson Onlookers Alice Greville, Georgie Sutcliffe,
Old Green Grasshopper Freya West & Passengers Charles Coppinger, Lucy McClements,
Centipede Oliver Jones Joanna Scull, Georgie Cowell

Mrs Zoe Fisher produced another wonderful production for

the Lower School following on from the success of last
year’s “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”.
The cast were all full of energy and enthusiasm and their
performances showed Sarah Carr,
great confidence and Kate Parry,
maturity. Luke Taylor as Collette Riggs,
James performed with a Jenny Griffiths,
wide-eyed innocence and Vicky von Hoven
a great deal of charm as & Alex Fearn
he was horribly abused by
the wicked Aunts Spiker
and Sponge, played with
delicious malevolence by
Grace Tomlinson and
Paige Rudd. All of the
supporting cast, from
Lewis Allsop’s world-
weary Earthworm to Alex
Fogg’s drunken sea
captain, gave the
audience a performance
to remember.
Heidi Caldecott, Luke Taylor
RPB & Harry McClements Alex Fogg, Jacob Edge & Will Mapstone
60

Music
Academic successes this year included Merits in the ABRSM
examinations for: Rowan Dell (clarinet); Zoe Evans (flute);
James Gould, Sarah Monro (both saxophone); Georgina
Ottaway (clarinet); Kate Parry (cello); Luke Taylor (violin);
and Katy Leicester (piano). This is a much higher number
than in recent years. Also there were two Distinctions; Toby
Dell for Grade 5 Organ and John Paul for Grade 5 Singing.
Particular congratulations go to Rachel Harrison for
achieving Grade 7 on alto saxophone. At AS level, Jamie
Cartwright was one of the few students in last year’s UK
entry to score full marks (60/60) for his composition
coursework.
Nov 06 – Patrick Larley, a former Director of Music at the
College, held a Singing Masterclass in the Arts Centre.
Twelve students took part, each bringing along a solo song
to sing. Patrick gave each performer some very useful advice
Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence’
on musical details and how to present a song to an
audience. The event finished with a recital of the solo songs
and a group performance of the Masterclass singers
performing The Sound of Silence.
Dec 06 – In the Carol Services the Chapel Choir built on
the success of last year, performing a more varied and
challenging programme this time around. Amongst these
was one of BJW’s favourites, John Rutter’s Nativity Carol.
There was also an arrangement by RCP of the popular
negro spiritual carol The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy. The
Once in Royal solo was performed by Katy Irby and In the
Bleak Midwinter was sung by Catherine Wignall and David
Anders-Richards. Michael Langton played the Pastoral
Symphony from Handel’s Messiah on the violin. Many of
last year’s sopranos are now tenors and basses and the
College currently boasts one of the largest tenor sections
you will find in any choir! I would like to place on record my
thanks for all that the Chapel and Lower School Choirs do
for the school throughout the whole year.
Feb 07 - Festival Success –
Luke Taylor and Michael
Langton won their solo
violin classes at this year’s
Oswestry Festival. Lower
School and Chapel Choirs
both came second in their
competitions. At the
Chester Festival, Luke
Taylor and Paddy Fuller
won the violin duet class
and were awarded the
Browns of Chester Plate
that is only given out if the
winning score is high
enough. Luke Taylor & Paddy Fuller
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Mar 07 – The House Singing theme this year was Disney,
which generated performances of the more recent
generation of songs from Toy Story, Lion King and High
School Musical to name a few. It was adjudicated by Jeremy
Lund Esq., Director of Music at Prestfelde, whose comments
and feedback were both entertaining and informative.
All the Houses put in a tremendous effort and performed with
energy (and some accuracy as well). It was also pleasing to
hear more parts in the Part Songs! Woodard won the Part
Song and the Overall title, and Talbot won the Unison Song
for the first time in about 20 years, a victory that clearly
meant a lot to them, judging by the way they celebrated.
Mar 07 – The Ellesmere College Choral Society performed
the Little Organ Mass by Haydn and the Coronation Mass by
Mozart. They were accompanied by an orchestra drawn from
across the Midlands and North West. The Choral Society
was also joined by members of Ludlow Choral Society, who
had heard about the programme and wanted to be involved.
Both choirs sang with power and sensitivity and an
impressive sense of ensemble. This was one of the Society’s
most successful events in recent years. The Society also
sang a service of Epiphany Carols in January at Llandrillio
Church and held its annual end-of-season dinner at
Sweeney Hall, near Oswestry. The Choral Society is open to
singers of all ages and ability. If you are interested in finding
out more, contact Roger Paul in the Music Department at
Ellesmere College.
Sept 06 and June 07 - The Battle of the Bands took place;
an initiative to give a platform to all those who learn guitar,
bass and drums at the College. There were two Battle of the
Bands events this academic year. September’s event had to
be moved to Big School because of the large audience
numbers, and June’s event was back in the Arts Centre –
nothing to do with a smaller audience; better acoustics. June
featured a record 12 bands taking part from across the
Battle of the Bands
Will Goodwin, Sam Clewlow, Joshua Boswell & Jonny Pescod
School’s age range, although I would like to see more girls
involved next year. The Rhythm & Blues band kicked off the
evening with their Blues Brothers tribute. They were followed
by two Lower School bands, a Year 6 group, and
Violator (Year 7) doing a set of mostly original songs. Lust
for Lunch were great fun with their humorous self-penned
song Fat people are harder to kidnap. The staff band played
a set of covers including Ruby and Ian Dury’s Hit Me With
Your Rhythm Stick. Rounding the evening off was left to The
FungShwings, who produced a powerful set featuring a fine
rendition of Killing in the Name Of. It is also pleasing to note
the higher standard of playing and sense of performance
over the past year.
RCP
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Middle School
Many pupils join Middle School as a transfer from Ellesmere
College Lower School. Others join the College at the Middle
School stage, usually from Preparatory Schools, but not
exclusively so.
Pupils joining Middle School will enjoy a stimulating
environment with an even wider range of curricular and extra
curricular opportunities. The emphasis upon developing
personal responsibility and an appropriate self-esteem
continues.
Ellesmere’s aspirations for its pupils are higher than simply
passing examinations however, vital examination success is
but the value of developing the whole person is fundamental
in the School’s philosophy. The Middle School years pays
testimony to that philosophy.
The Middle School at Ellesmere is a very busy place to be.
Obviously, Years 9 to 11 are
academically vital study years.
Year 9 pupils build throughout
the year to take SAT
examinations. Year 10 pupils
have refined their study
programme and have made
important choices regarding
GCSE options. The Year 10
group also have a heavy
workload with important early
coursework preparation in
many subject areas. Year 11
continue to build on the
foundations laid in Years 9
and 10 and focus is placed
upon public GCSE
examinations.
GCSE Results Day
A wealth of extra-curricular
Todd Evans, Grace Kendall, David Anders-Richards,
activity is available to all. All Colin Fergusson & Catherine Wignall
pupils are encouraged to
explore the opportunities and develop interests in as many
areas as they can possibly pack into the busy week.
A newly-created ARENA Arts programme offers experiences
from drama to stage tech. Each year Middle School pupils
delight audiences in stage productions. This year, for the
third year running, Ellesmere College Middle School pupils
took part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival. Much Ado
about Nothing was chosen for its wealth of the usual
Shakespearian twists and turns. The Middle School
produced a neat production after only four weeks of
preparation.
Music performances continued to impress throughout the
year and many Middle School pupils have pressed on with
practice and performance. Since September pupils have
been successful in the nationally-graded examinations. Hard
work and effort has allowed the choir to add a special touch
to many school performances and Chapel services
throughout the year. Ellesmere Carol Services are beautiful
and atmospheric and are enjoyed by pupils, parents and the
local community. They certainly produce evocative memories
for Old Ellesmerians and their families.
There have been many school trips throughout the year.
Historians enjoyed and benefited from History Study Trips
led by Mrs Paton and Mr Wood. Geographers braved the
elements at the Stiperstones and skiers plan to travel to
Switzerland with Dr Gareh and Mrs Owen.
In 2007/8 planning is underway to enable a joint Rugby and
Hockey party to tour South Africa.
A group who certainly sought extreme challenges were 3
Middle School boys, Aidan Porter, James Davies and Tom
Davies (Yr 11).
62
During the half-term break, whilst others were relaxing or
staying warm at home, they went to Norway to take part in
the Nordic Challenge. They were ably accompanied by Dr
Ripley. The focus was to learn the techniques involved in
Classic Nordic Skiing over hilly terrain. The week involved
races, team challenges and biathlon and all students passed
their Bronze Nordic Proficiency Certificate.
It was pleasing to see a large number of the Middle School
boys and girls gain National and County Honours in a variety
of sporting events. Throughout the week and each week-end
Ellesmere has an extremely busy atmosphere when
Ellesmere sports teams compete in Inter-School
competitions. The standard of play is excellent and many
pupils represent School.
Inter-House competitions are well supported and the
competitive element for House
supremacy rages on with each
event. The Competitive
Houses are led by passionate
and dedicated teaching staff.
Dr Gareh, Dr Chaterjee, Mr
Davies and Miss Ripley take
their responsibilities very
seriously. I even heard one of
them comment that their
House was singing the best in
Chapel last Monday!
Thursday afternoon activities
are wide and varied. The Year
9 programme allows a taste of
the adventurous activities on
offer in the CCF and D of E
sections. Before the half-term
break the School had its
biennial CCF review. Group
Captain Paul A Cunningham,
Station Commander at RAF
Shawbury, flew himself into
School and then his co-pilot Flight Lieutennant Mike Cauchi
provided helicopter familiarization training for Army and RAF
cadets from the Middle School. Many of the cadets reported
that it was a fantastic experience with some cadets getting
’hands on’ the controls as they manoeuvred over the school!
Year 9 pupils have also been put to the test to show their
weapon-handling skills. Tests were taken throughout May to
demonstrate competence.
Preparations continued for the three-day expeditions which
took place for all in the last week of the Summer term.
The year was certainly busy and amongst all of the activity
on offer, pupils worked hard to secure some fine GCSE
performances. The end of the GCSE study phase was
marked by the Annual Year 11 Prom. The evening was a
great success and credit should go to the Year 11 pupils,
David Anders-Richards, Tristram Thomas, Harry Craig,
James Norman, Mark Pearson, Nin Cooper, Tash Evans and
Stephanie Edwards - the Prom Committee. This committee
represented the three Middle School Houses and met on a
regular basis to decide on details. It was wonderful to see the
transformation of pupils from school uniform to formal dress
attire. The Shropshire Magazine photographer was present
and Middle School was depicted in the July pages.
It is difficult to put everything into a few paragraphs. However,
from a Head of Middle School perspective, even though an
academic year poses challenges for all as it progresses, one
can honestly say that there are many fine young men and
women at Ellesmere. Hopefully, when Middle School pupils
progress on to Sixth Form they will look back fondly and be
proud of what they have experienced and achieved.
SO
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Sport
Michaelmas Term
2006 RUGBY RESULTS
Team Opponents Result For Against Team Opponents Result For Against
1st XV Sandbach Won 36 22 U15A Sandbach Won 36 31
1st XV King William Won 46 3 U15A Malvern Won 42 5
1st XV Rydal Won 45 6 U15A Rydal Lost 10 36
1st XV Bishop Vesey’s Drew 21 21 U15A Bishop Vesey’s Won 34 12
1st XV Newcastle Won 29 10
U15A Denstone Lost 10 37
1st XV Denstone Won 43 8
U15A Hereford Cathedral Won 39 5
1st XV Hereford Cathedral Won 37 0
U15A Birkenhead Drew 24 24
1st XV Birkenhead Won 44 10
1st XV Old Ellesmerians Won 42 0 U15B Stafford (A) Lost 5 27
U15B Bedstone (A) Lost 7 36
2nd XV Denstone Won 38 3 U15B Bishop Vesey’s Lost 17 34
2nd XV Newcastle Won 49 0
2nd XV Bishop Vesey’s Lost 10 33 U14A Sandbach Lost 0 14
2nd XV Sandbach Won 44 12 U14A Malvern Won 29 0
2nd XV Bedstone (1st XV) Won 44 5 U14A Rydal Won 52 12
U14A Newcastle Won 34 12
U16 XV Bromsgove Lost 0 12 U14A Bishop Vesey’s Won 29 14
U16 XV Wrekin (2nd XV) Lost 0 12 U14A Denstone Won 15 12
U16 XV Malvern Won 41 0 U14A Birkenhead Lost 10 14
U16 XV Rydal (2nd XV) Lost 10 29
U16 XV Wrekin Won 52 12 U14B Stafford (A) Lost 0 36
U16 XV Bishop Vesey’s (3rd XV) Lost 17 31 U14B Malvern Won 18 0
U16 XV Denstone Lost 0 20 U14B Wrekin (U14A) Lost 5 52
U16 XV Hereford Cathedral Won 43 3 U14B Bishop Vesey’s Lost 10 27
U16 XV Stoneyhurst Lost 0 27 U14B Birkenhead Lost 0 29

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2006 SEASON Representative Hours 2006-2007

The 1st XV’s unbeaten run continues. Having gone last
season undefeated, the 1st XV has reached a second North Mids U18
season with its playing record intact. Over the last 3 seasons Adam Churton, Alex Dunn, Rhys Heyes, Rob Kellett,
they have lost only one match. Sam Lewis, James Lloyd , Chris Morgan, Ben Morris,
In the Senior Squad an incredible 13 players were called up James Purdey, Nathaniel Thomas and Alex Whittle
for Regional representation. North Midlands is the
combination of Worcester, Hereford, Greater Birmingham North Mids U19
and Shropshire. Ellesmere College provided 11 players, 3 at Steve Bannister, James Farrell and Danny Matthews
U19 and 8 at U18. Two other players represented North
Wales.
Further individual success was achieved in the Junior teams North Wales U18
at U16. We had 4 Shropshire players and 1 Cheshire player Aled Ellis, Joel Galley
with 1 player going through to the North Midlands. At U14
an amazing 11 players were selected at the recent North Mids U16
Shropshire trials, ensuring that the future looks very strong. Mark Pearson
We now have a system that develops players from an early
age, and so have young players with very advanced skills.
Although at Junior levels we sometimes come unstuck
Shropshire U14
George Baxter, Tom Broadhead, Ben Brooks,
against a side with very big players, the technical skills we
are developing come through in the end as seen with the Michael Brown, Ollie Brereton, William Goodwin,
Senior sides. For a school we have a model that is very Bryn Phillips, Iwan Phillips, Jake Taylor,
advanced, with outside professionals coming in to cover Hugh Wignall and James Whittle.
aspects of fitness, nutrition, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
PAG

Representative Honours
64

1st XV Reports
Ellesmere 36 Sandbach 22
We made a poor start to this game with a series of errors,
leading to a charge-down try, and from the restart more
penalties and a further 3 points again. 10-0 down after 5
minutes meant we were playing a team with their tails up.
We responded well and for the rest of the first half played
our best rugby. Good ball from the forwards and strong
straight running from centre and full back led to tries and a
half time score of 22-10 to us. In the second half, we
stretched the lead with good tries from set piece moves –
scrum blind and a tap penalty through the middle. We
were then forced to swap a front row player and the
disruption seemed to affect play, with us allowing them a
late rally and two tries. A good start to the season, but a
great deal to work on.
Tries: Farrell 2, Matthews 2, Bannister, Kellett
Conversions: Heyes 3
Ellesmere 46 King William 3
A powerful performance resulted in some excellent
scores. The rain started just before kick-off, but this
failed to dampen some excellent handling that took the
ball out wide for us to score at a point a minute for the
first 20 minutes. Steve Bannister got things moving by
rounding his man, followed by Jake Asplin through the
middle from full back. James Farrell got the first of his 2
tries in the first half.
Our pace proved too much and we continued to score
again through Steve Bannister and Jake Asplin. Chris
Morgan, who showed some neat touches throughout, got
the first of his 2 tries picking a great line off a break
through the middle to cling on and score. James Farrell
65
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
then rounded off the scoring by dribbling through to touch
down.
Generally a good performance, although there were some
quiet periods when our error-count due both to the conditions
and the penalty count against us, slowed everything down.
Tries: Asplin 2, Farrell 2, Bannister 2, Morgan 2
Conversions: Heyes 2, Farrell 1
Ellesmere 45 Rydal 6
We started well and kept play in the opposition’s half. A
quick tap from a free kick and feed saw James Farrell score
in the corner. Our handling was unsure at the start and this
led to a kick up-field, a penalty and 3 points for Rydal. We
came straight back, and good linking work from the back row
saw Chris Morgan touch down in the corner for Rhys Heyes
to convert from the touch line. Good straight running through
the centre from Rob Kellett and feed-back through the middle
saw James Farrell go over for his second try.
There were some bizarre refereeing decisions affecting both
sides and the flow of the game. In the second half we
adapted well, rolling the ball out of the tackle and keeping
play loose. There were some excellent passages of play, the
handling got sharper and we played a relaxed and fluid
game. We managed to take the ball to the wing more often,
where Aled Ellis started to crop up, and at the same time the
front row took the Rydal scrum to pieces. Good running from
Rhys Heyes, Danny Matthews, and Nat Thomas led to
further tries.
It was a match played hard and fair by both teams. While
there was a steady points count it was never easy, and
Rydal kept up the intensity of their play throughout.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Ellesmere College 21 Bishop Vesey’s 21
With several players missing from both the 1st and 2nd team
squads, selection proved to be difficult in the week leading
up to this game. Despite this I was pleased to see that the
1st team really fronted up to some of the best opposition we
have faced in the last 2 years. Bishop’s had a basic game
plan but executed it well. They had a strong lineout and
kicked effectively into position and forced us to give away
penalties. They defended to a man, which kept them in the
game at times when we were dominant.
They opened the scoring with a penalty after we missed
touch from a defensive lineout and ran back to give field
position. We got offside from the resulting lineout and were
down 3-0. We then had a passage of play where we
dominated possession and field position, resulting in a
penalty (Rhys) and converted try (J. Lloyd) (Rhys).
We then failed to gather the kick-off and ultimately gave up
position on the field. Bishop’s took a good lineout ball and
drove over the line to even the score at half time.
At this point we felt confident going into the second half and
it was pleasing to see the new players coming into form. We
had dominated the opposition physically but they had
capitalised on the mistakes we made. The team traded
penalties at the start of the second half for a score of 13-13
(Rhys) and then we gave away a pointless penalty for offside
at a scrum, which gave Bishop’s a lineout close to our line.
We gave another penalty away at the lineout and they
managed to force the ball over to take the lead 18-13. We
then finished a brilliant piece of play, moving the ball right
then left with Adam going over in the corner for 18-18.
Bishop’s rallied again and we got offside at a ruck late in the
game to allow another 3 points for 21-18. At this point things
looked desperate, but we showed great character to take the
ball up field again and claim a penalty. Rhys had to convert
to draw the game with the very last kick of play. He
composed himself and slotted the goal to the sound of the
final whistle.
The team felt disappointed with the draw as we hammered
away at Bishop’s for much of the game. A lack of composure
close to the line and forcing passes cost us a few chances,
and our penalty count was high again. Despite this I was
very pleased with the performance. We had shown greater
discipline than in previous matches and we had moved the
ball extremely well from deep positions. The lineout had
worked better and our contact skills had improved. Having
not played for 3 weeks this was a good display, particularly
with the lack of any real preparation. Roll on Denstone.
Ellesmere 29 Newcastle 10
At the time I thought we were bad, but on reflection we really
were very bad! We looked tired and made error upon error
which ultimately denied us any momentum. Beginning the
game by kicking the ball dead really set the tone for the first
half. We gave possession up easily and our penalty count
again punished us. When will we learn?
My notes from the beginning of the match read:-
Kick dead, knock on from slice move, 2 penalties, offside,
another penalty in at the side, loads of unforced errors.
The match was poor, but after 23 minutes a glimpse of hope
emerged when for the first time we did something simple.
We ran with the ball, we passed the ball without error, and
funnily enough we scored. (Jake 5-0) Rob and Nat scored
in quick succession and Faz converted (17-0). I felt that the
game was won then as I didn’t believe they had enough to
come back from that type of margin but……
We conceded another two penalties which gave them field
position, won the ball back then immediately gave it back to
them. An inside pass from their 10 fooled everyone and they
ran in a poorly defended try (17-5). Half time.
66
My masterful team talk at half time stating the obvious had
no effect as we offloaded the ball in a central position and
then conceded another triple penalty to give them field
position and ultimately another try. (17-10).
We then managed to string together some passes and rugby
broke out. A period of pressure led to a dreadful mistake by
their 10 and we flopped on the ball for a score (Tom B I
think?) and Faz converted (24-10). Game rescued. Jake
scored again later in the game to flatter us (29-10).
Lots of negatives and not many positives. However our
response afterwards was correct. We were disappointed in
our performance and relieved to win. We must get back to
basics done well; passing, running, lineout synergy, ball
retention. When we run the ball simply we look dangerous.
That’s all we need to do. Scrum was great!
Let’s have a break, reflect on the first half term and resolve
that we will come back fresh and ready to play some
outstanding rugby, which we are capable of, in the next half
term.
Well done for this half term. Overall very positive and still
building. Our best performance is still out there to be played!
Ellesmere 43 Denstone 8
Despite having good preparation for the match we started
the game by making error upon error. We failed to gather
the initial kick-off and grounded the ball 3m from our line.
We cleared and defended the ensuing lineout well, but we
missed tackles in midfield and Denstone opened the scoring
after 3 minutes of play (0-5). We kept making errors, either
trough passing, poor kicking or penalties (the first half
penalty count was 7-1 in Denstone’s favour). However,
Patrick Gorman managed to steal the ball at a maul and
showed a good turn of speed to run 30m to score close to
the posts. Rhys converted (7-5). We then conceded a
penalty close to our posts for going in at the side (7-8). We
created a few chances in the half, one very clear one which
an unnamed forward decided not to pass. However a good
passage of play released Adam Churton to score in the
corner (12-8). To reach half time with this score line was
flattering to us. We really had not played well and the
Denstone 10 had kicked very well to keep us pinned in our
own half. What was pleasing is that everyone recognised
what was going wrong and we did not panic or lose our
composure.
The contrast in the second half was remarkable. We played
probably the best rugby of the year. I have rarely seen one
player have such an influence on the outcome of a match,
but the substitution at half time to place Faz at 13 proved to
be the turning-point in the game. Everyone rallied and we
began to play to our potential. Faz scored 3 tries in a row, 2
from great team play and one piece of individual brilliance to
chip and catch (according to their coaches he didn’t need to
make a chip and could have just run it in – but it certainly
looked better). Rhys converted 2 to take the score-line to 29
-8. The game was won. We continued to apply pressure,
and quick thinking by Danny and Aled down the blindside
resulted in a great try, with no player attempting to stop Aled
at full pace. Rhys converted (36-8) and from the kick-off
Danny and Aled combined again for Aled to outpace their
winger and create a chance for Banny who just kept up with
him. Rhys converted (43-8).
The second half will go down as one of the finest periods of
continuous rugby from this team, absolutely outstanding. We
varied what we did, the support and rucking were excellent
and we applied pressure in every area of play. The lineout
functioned well, with James Purdey making some excellent
one-handed reaches and Tom Bohn was superb at
disrupting their throw. The defence was solid with some big
tackles being put in. Denstone failed to enter our 22 in the
entire second half. If we could just play for the entire 70
minutes! We have 2 games to go. We must remain fit,
focused and hungry for performance.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Ellesmere 37 Hereford 0 After missing the chance to score out wide in the early stages,
Playing with the slope but against the wind, we put Hereford just before half time the ball was fed to Jake Asplin to score in
under pressure from the start. We ran their missed touch the corner (19-0 at half time). Steve Bannister moved into try-
kicks back strongly, putting the ball through the hands well scoring over-drive and claimed 2 more. Danny Matthews
given the conditions. For the first 20 minutes penalties became involved in some martial arts practice before adding a
against us disrupted the flow, and we were made to work try, and then a superb turn of pace from Aled Ellis resulted in
hard against some very fierce tackling. Eventually, after a him outstretching the defence and scoring in the corner. Jake
period involving a number of phases, we moved the ball wide Asplin, stung by criticism of his attempted drop goal against
for Adam Churton to cross the line. With the forwards Hereford, answered by ignoring a 4-man overlap to spoon one
becoming more dominant we started to power our way over from 30m.
through the opposition, and after several drives James A great end to a fantastic season – well done to the whole
Purdey drove over from a short way out. squad.
From the Hereford kick-off we secured the ball as we had PAG
done all through the match, usually releasing Aled for
a trundle, but this time a pin-point up-and-under from
Faz found Banny under the ball along with their
winger and full back. Miraculously Danny gathered
the ball to set up a ruck. The ball was then spun
quickly to the other wing for Adam to dive over for his
second try. Accurate kicking continued to pay
dividends, and a tremendous crossfield drop-kick
from Jake didn’t go anywhere near the posts but led
to a 5-yard scrum and the first of 2 tries for James
Farrell. Danny Mathews made a break from fly half to
claim another. We were starting to find space as their
team began to tire. They had spent the match under
pressure especially from our forwards, of whom
James Purdy was outstanding. We could have thrown
the ball wide, but the forwards had an attack of white
line fever towards the end which, along with our
match-saving kicker Rhys’ attempts to convert, kept
the overall score down. Stephen Bannister
An outstanding performance and our best sustained
period of play so far this season. Tremendous – well
done.
Stats:
Bannister 5, Churton 5, Purdy 5
HT
Churton 5, Farrell 5, Farrell 2, Bannister 5, Matthews 5

Ellesmere 44 Birkenhead 10
This was a bit of a disjointed game, without the need to
sustain great pressure to score. A number of our tries
were opportunistic through individual breaks. James
Farrell always threatened around the fringes, and early
breaks from him eventually led to the first score from
Steve Bannister. When we moved the ball away we
were dangerous whether forwards or backs, and a
strong run from Aled Ellis fed to Steve Bannister, who
then put James Purdey in under the posts.

Aled Ellis

Adam Churton
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
2nd XV Rugby Report
After making an exceptionally good start beating
Bromsgrove’s Seconds, the boys settled down into playing
some outstanding rugby. Although hampered by the lack of
a No. 10, the team rallied well to record some pleasing
victories. The pack was particularly strong with Doran,
Disspain, Oliver, Corran and Morris all making telling
contributions. Out wide it was Stephen Johnson who
shone, eclipsing his opposition winger many a time to
become the team’s highest try-scorer.
Harry Ellis, Leicester and England Scrum Half, coaching pupils during Rugbyclass
68
After coaxing Greensmith and Wantling out of retirement,
the team started to galvanise and went from strength to
strength. Sadly, with quite a few injuries to 1st XV players,
many of the better 2nd XV found themselves playing top-
line rugby. With the gaps vacant, Wacker and Zabel filled
the spaces and started to make an impact. The team’s
most powerful tackler soon emerged; Zabel’s tackling
became legendary.
KB

Under 16 Rugby
For the first time in 12 years Ellesmere College was fielding
a sole team at U16 level, with just U16 players in it. An
interesting and exciting term of rugby lay ahead.
Ellesmere 0 Bromsgrove 12
Our first match was against Bromsgrove. We started very
well and were very competitive in all areas. The first 20
minutes were very even and either side could have scored.
Unfortunately Bromsgrove were the first to score, using their
strong running centres to break our defensive line. The last
10 minutes saw us lose our way a bit, with too many over-
committing to the rucks and mauls and not enough defence
on the fringes. Half time score was 7-0 to Bromsgrove. We
started the second half in much the same fashion as we
ended the first and we conceded another try, making it 12-0.
After this we started to play better and could have scored on
more than one occasion save for some good defensive work
from Bromsgrove.
Ellesmere 0 Wrekin (2nd XV) 12
Next game was away against Wrekin. We ended up playing
their 2nd XV, which included many U18 players. Again we
started well and were the more competitive of the 2 teams.
Unfortunately some weak defending enabled Wrekin to drive
over from a ruck on our 5m line and the half time score was
5-0 to Wrekin. The second half saw very few scoring
opportunities, with good defensive work from both teams. We
defended very well, but we couldn’t create any scoring
chances, which in the end cost us as Wrekin scored another
try late on to make the final score 12-0 to Wrekin.
Ellesmere 41 Malvern 0
Our third game was away at Malvern. A long coach journey
lay ahead. However, we were not affected by this. We began
very well and dominated the first half. Our lineout was
working well, with Jamie Thomas winning every throw-in, and
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
our scrum was dominant thanks to excellent work from our
front row of Tom Newman, Alex Wantling and Theo Teal.
We scored our first try from some excellent rucking work and
quick passing down our back line to Mark Pearson, who
powered over for the score. Not long after this we scored our
second try, Ben Patterson scoring in the corner for the first of
his 3 tries. The game continued to go well and Alex Clewlow
scored our third from quick turnover ball and excellent
passing down the back line. Just before half-time George
Brereton showed excellent strength and determination to
power over for the fourth try. Half time score was 24-0; 4
tries, and 2 conversions from Ewan Crispin. The second half
saw us continue to dominate the game, and excellent work
from our back row of James Norman, Tomos Roberts and
Jamie Thomas saw us gain quick ball in the centre of the
park, which debutant scrum half Henry Walton duly picked
up and ran in an excellent individual try to score our fifth try
of the game. We scored a further 2 tries, both from Ben
Patterson, which completed his hat-trick, and went on to win
our first victory of the season.
Ellesmere 10 Rydal (2nd XV) 29
The next game of the season was away at Rydal. The
previous year the team had won comfortably and confidence
was high. When we arrived we discovered that we were
playing their 2nd XV. This was going to be a tough game!
The first 20 minutes were very competitive, with both sides
tackling hard and rucking well. We were holding our own
against older opposition. However, things then changed.
Some quick clean-up work from their forwards on our 10m
line saw them pass the ball down the line to their winger,
who ran in from 30m to score a good try and make it 5-0 to
Rydal. Two minutes later Rydal doubled the score to 10-0,
the same winger receiving the ball in his own half this time
and running all the way to the try line.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The try was also converted to make it 12-0 Rydal. We then
lost our way a bit, tackling too high and beginning to panic,
consequently Rydal ran in 2 more tries and converted one
to make it 24-0.
However, just before the half time whistle we scored an
excellently well-worked try through our forwards, driving the
ball a good 10m before releasing Alex Wantling to cross for
the try and make the half time score 24-5 to Rydal. The
second half saw a much tighter game. We regained our
composure, began to tackle harder and reached the
breakdowns quicker. Our backs were more than matching
theirs, and through some hard work we scored a second try
(Ben Patterson) to make the score 24-10. Unfortunately we
then conceded another try late on, making the final score
29-10 to Rydal. Despite the score we played well against
older opposition.
Ellesmere 52 Wrekin (U16) 12
Following on from the Rydal game we had a mid-week fixture
against Wrekin, this time playing their U16 team rather than
their 2nd XV. The first half saw some dreadful handling from
us and Wrekin were quick to put pressure on us. We were
able to soak up this pressure and somehow managed to
score 3 tries in the first half. The first try was scored by Ewan
Crispin, with an excellent run from their 10m line to score.
Mark Pearson scored our second, another well-worked try
which saw our backs throwing the ball around well which
released Pearson to score. The third try was scored by Alex
Clewlow with an excellent switch move which saw Clewlow
score under the posts. All 3 tries were converted by Crispin
making the half time score 21-0. The second half saw us
concede a soft try in the first 5 minutes, making the score 21-
7. After this we finally started playing some good rugby. We
were securing quick turnover ball and using the pace of our
backs to stretch the opposition. This resulted in us scoring 2
more tries, both scored by Ben Patterson, with Crispin
converting one to make the score 33-7. However, we
conceded another try against the run of play, making the
score 33-12. After this we upped our game further and
Wrekin began to tire. This allowed us to run in 3 unanswered
tries; Aiden Porter with a strong run from 5m out, a second
for Pearson, and the final try coming from Alex Wantling,
who ran in from the 22m line.
Ellesmere 17 Bishop Vesey 31
The sixth game of the season was a tough encounter at
Bishop Vesey’s, again against older opposition. They
scored first from a shortened line-out, which caught us ball-
watching and made the score 7-0. We responded well to
this and we scored through a Tom Davies try. The score
was now 7-5. However, shortly after this Davies had to
leave the game through injury, and this affected our pattern
of play in the forwards. Some weak tackling on our part saw
Bishop Vesey’s run in 2 tries to make the score 21-5 but we
responded to this and ran in another try from Ben Patterson
to make the half time score 21-10. The second half was a
scrappy affair, with both teams making handling errors and
neither looking as if they would score. The deadlock was
eventually broken by Bishops Vesey’s who scored to make
it 28-10. Again we responded to this by scoring a try of our
own, an excellent solo effort by George Brereton, which
Ewan Crispin converted to make the score 28-17. We
pressed hard in the last 10 minutes, hoping to score again,
but it was a case of too little too late. To add insult to injury
they scored a late penalty to make the final score 31-17 to
Bishop Vesey’s.
70
We had another mid-week fixture following on from the
defeat at Bishop Vesey’s, a North Midlands Second Round
game. We played very well in this fixture and ran out
comfortable winners at 48-0, thus setting up a quarter-final
encounter with Old Swinford Hospital.
Tries in this game came from: Jamie Thomas (2), Ben
Patterson (2), George Brereton (2), Mark Pearson and Alex
Clewlow. This match also saw David Anders-Richards return
to the starting line after injury, and with an excellent
performance it looked as if he had never been away.
Ellesmere 0 Denstone 20
Our next game was a home fixture against Denstone, who
fielded an older age team. This was another tough
encounter, where we competed fairly well, despite having
some key players missing from the team. Denstone scored
all of the points in this encounter, running in 4 unanswered
tries to make the final score 20-0 to Denstone. We lost this
game at our set pieces, where we didn’t really compete
enough to secure possession from which to score.
Ellesmere 43 Hereford Cathedral 3
The ninth game of the season was a home game against
Hereford Cathedral. From the outset we were the stronger
team. We played very well and this was definitely the best
performance of the term. We hit the breakdowns quickly,
cleared the rucks efficiently, our set pieces worked, we ran
with ball in hand and passed at the correct times. Because
of this we ran in 7 unanswered tries, scored by Ben
Patterson (2), David Anders-Richards, Aiden Porter, Hugh
Grosvenor, Mark Pearson and Tom Davies. We also kicked
4 conversions, one from Ewan Crispin and 3 from Hugh
Grosvenor.
Ellesmere 0 Stoneyhurst 27
Our final fixture before Christmas was away at Stoneyhurst,
a 2-hour coach journey away. The conditions were not the
best, with strong winds sometimes hampering play. From the
outset we didn’t look as if we wanted to win this game. They
had a well-drilled team who performed well throughout. We
were below par throughout most of the game. Our lineout let
us down, and our scrummaging, which meant we didn’t get
enough possession to threaten to score, a bit of a
disappointing end to the term.
After Christmas we still had our Quarter Final of the North
Midlands Cup to play. This was an away fixture at Old
Swinford Hospital. Here we faced a very strong and well-
organised team who ran out eventual winners.
Overall this was an encouraging season, which should be
seen by the players as a learning and development season
for them as players. Many of our fixtures were against older
opposition and the team played well against these older
players. They will have learnt a lot to take in to their game
next year, when they will be playing at U18 age. I look
forward to seeing the players continue their rugby and
competing for places in the senior squads next year.
Statistics
Played 11, Won 4, Lost 7, Drawn 0
Points For 163, Points Against 146
Squad from:
D.G. Anders-Richards, G.D.Brereton, A.M.Clewlow,
E.W.Crispin, J.A.Davies, T.R.Davies, T.O.M.Evans,
C.A.Fergusson, G.Forgrave, H.R.L.Grosvenor, H.J.Hackett,
J.A.Hart, A.I.Hough, T.Newman, J.P.Norman, B.K.Patterson,
M.A.Pearson, A.L.Porter, T.A.Roberts, N.R.Sorfleet,
T.W.F.Teal, J.P.Thomas, H.Walton, A.J.Wantling,
L.R.Wiggington, M.Wojtynia.
ILR

Under 15A Rugby
The new season started with the team shorn of its Captain
and leading player, but with the addition of two new three-
quarters bringing the promise of greater pace and
penetration out wide. Squad practice at Bromsgrove gave us
a good deal of tackling practice, but demonstrated that we
needed to raise our game in the loose and when it came to
ball-winning. Despite the shortness of coaching time
available to us we managed to pull things together for our
first match. Sandbach were a large and physical side, and
despite our superiority in the tight and the successful
operation of the short lineout we could not guarantee our
loose possession, although the Captain led by example. In
an exciting but error-strewn game both teams seized upon
the other’s mistakes and the scoring see-sawed throughout.
Sandbach no doubt thought that they had secured victory
when they went 9 points ahead with only 2 minutes
remaining. However, good support play and interpassing
brought us back into the game with only a minute on the
clock. Their deep kick-off and our inability to deal with it put
them on our line. From the ensuing lineout they ran the ball
and one of their backs doubled back. He was met in a
crunching tackle and we secured possession. Someone had
the presence of mind to remove the ball from one of our
forwards and it was worked to our centre wide on the left. A
turn of pace, a controlled chip over the defence gathered on
the run, and then acceleration away saw us home by 36-31.
Breathtaking!
Next up were Adams in the Daily Mail Cup. Playing up a
considerable slope we did well to defend our line for the first
period.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
With the slope in our favour we seemed to have the
opportunity to kick ourselves into a good field position but our
tactical naivety was exposed as we frittered away several
chances to do just that. In fact at no time in the second half
did we make use of the slope at all. Whilst the score was
only 0-3 until very near the end we did not threaten their line
at any stage and they were deserved winners on the day.
This game provided the opportunity to see the strengths of
our runners and the positional changes made as a result,
allied to the introduction of some simple but effective moves,
meant that we were far more threatening in the threes.
Against Malvern we scored some super tries, taking the ball
at speed and choosing some good running lines. Whilst the
lineout was again disappointing both the scrum and,
particularly, the loose provided a plentiful supply of good
possession for the backs to run. All in all the game was
enjoyable to watch and a 42-5 victory ensued.
At home against Rydal, already hit by illness and injury, we
were further depleted by 2 absentees on the morning of the
match. The last-minute replacements did their best but it
meant that we started the match without the confidence in
the backs that the win over Malvern had promoted. We
immediately found ourselves under pressure, and although
the forwards worked heroically – as they were to do all match
– we simply could not get the ball away. This was partly due
to our own poor alignment with a disjointed back line, but
also to the unnatural speed with which the opposition were
allowed to get up on us. The forwards dominated the rucks –
the most outstanding aspect of our play – but too often the
backs were getting ball and man.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

We made several forays up-field but were heavily penalised At half time the game was there to be won, just like the
and found it difficult to maintain the momentum of an previous week. However, on this occasion it was the
attack. Down by 19-0 at half time we started the second opposition who raised their game.
half with renewed vigour but the loss of some key
Against Church Stretton in the ‘Vase’ we played all the
possession allowed the opposition to score again. We then
rugby but also made all the mistakes. The opposition
scored the try of the game with a dummy scissors and a
defence held us out and a disappointing 0-7 score-line saw
miss-pass that showed what could have been had we been
us go out.
allowed to play. However, we had the last word when we
poured through on a mistake and took an excellent pick-up We played some of our best rugby of the season in the first
on the run to touch down. Overall we gained much from the 20 minutes of the match against Hereford Cathedral
game. We reacted well to adversity (we repeatedly seemed School. Into the wind and on a wet and slippery pitch we
to get the rough end of the stick), our loose play was played some very direct rugby. From the hanging kick-off
outstanding and we never gave up despite losing 10-36. gathered in by our forwards on the chase we drove well
and produced a good supply of loose ball. The backs ran
Against Ludlow in the Daily Mail Vase we made heavy
well although did tend to delay the pass. However, support
weather of the game. We started well and but for some
was usually on hand and with some good handling,
awful handling errors could, perhaps, have run away with
considering the conditions, we were able to run in 5 tries
the match in the first 15 minutes. As it was, all we had to
without reply to lead 27-0 at half time. A fine victory by 39-5
show for our efforts was a try down the narrow side
resulted.
following a couple of drives and rucks from the forwards. In
the second half the supply of ball dried up as we lost our With a couple of key backs missing through injury it was
shape in the loose – body positions were poor and there necessary to reorganise the three-quarter line immediately
was next to no binding and pumping of legs. One well- before the game against Birkenhead. Despite this we
worked backs’ move seemed to have made us safe but the played some good rugby to recover from a 9-point deficit
opposition camped in our 22 for much of the half. Effective mid-match and gain the lead with 10 minutes or so
scrambled defence kept them at bay for a while but, having remaining. However, whilst the match served to
scored under the posts and converted their try, they demonstrate us at our best, with some productive rucking
redoubled their efforts. It was touch and go whether we and driving from the forwards and direct running from the
could hold on and only some last- ditch tackles and driving backs, our propensity to make mistakes was also revealed.
in the loose saw us through by 12-7. Too often kicks were misplaced, the ball lost in contact and
planned moves not executed in a simple and
A new fixture at Bishop Vesey’s promised to be a tough straightforward way. Once we had achieved the lead we
game. The first half was a see-saw affair where, having could and should have closed the opposition out. However,
fallen behind, we recovered to finish the period all square. a series of errors allowed Birkenhead to camp in our 22
It was apparent to the coach that the final result would and eventually to find a way over the line. Fortunately the
depend upon the approach that Ellesmere took to the conversion from wide out missed and the game was drawn
game, since it did not appear that the opposition possessed at 24-24. A fair result and end to the season.
the ability outside the scrum to cause us too much trouble
unless our own errors achieved it for them. Once the MTDS
forwards had grasped the need for better body positions
and drive from the legs in the loose, a plentiful supply of
ball was assured. The three-quarters ran with purpose and
our defence became a little more aggressive. These
improved aspects of our game ensured that the opposition
found themselves on the back
foot for most of the half, and
our line was hardly threatened
as we ran out worthy winners
34-12.
Unfortunately we did not do
ourselves justice at Denstone,
going down by 37-10. Having
failed to convert several
scoring opportunities early on,
we were made to pay for our
sloppiness. It was a damp and
windy day and the conditions
called for accurate passing and
the minimising of errors.
Unfortunately we were unable
to rise to the occasion and
consistently got ourselves into
trouble by passing on poor ball
and giving away possession.
One sublime try – it just
showed what we could have
done had we played to our
strengths – and one well-taken
opportunist score kept us in the
game until the break. MTDS debating the finer points with Sam Lewis
72

Under 14A Rugby Report
Looking back at last year’s excellent results and with the
addition of a few new faces, this was always going to be an
exciting season. This was demonstrated throughout the
season with some extremely hard and very physical games.
We opened the season away against Sandbach, who were
the biggest U14 team I have seen for many years. It was
soon evident that this team was not just big and physical but
also very quick and skilful. Having given away 2 soft tries, we
were 0-14 down at half time. I was rather apprehensive for
the second half. Our defence was fantastic and we really put
our bodies on the line. We started putting Sandbach under
pressure and came very close to scoring a few tries
ourselves. Our commitment was tremendous and the team
showed just what they can do if they want to.
Final score 0-14
The second game saw us playing at home against Malvern.
This proved to be a disappointing fixture as we had to play
against their U15B team in the second half, as we had
outplayed their U14A team in all aspects. We won
comfortably against their U15B team 29-0 and were hoping
that we would soon be able to demonstrate our skills against
a good team and show people what we could do with the ball
in hand. We did not have to wait long as the next game
produced the best rugby of the season against Rydal.
Ellesmere played some quite awesome rugby and were able
to offload the ball in the tackle situation and not allow Rydal
time to regroup. The support play was tremendous and the
forwards could do little wrong. This game produced some
magnificent tries, resulting in us winning 52–12.
We hosted Newcastle the following weekend, which
produced very scrappy rugby and poor ball handling and
resulted in us giving away far too much possession.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
We did manage to score some good tries, but could have
won the game far more comfortable. Final score 34-12.
Bishop Vesey’s followed where we won 29-14. The forwards
were awesome in the first half playing against a bigger pack.
Our defence in the second half let us down somewhat, letting
them cross our line twice. Nevertheless, a good performance
and a good win.
The second-last game was against Denstone where we
managed to hold on to a narrow lead, running out 15-12
winners. Final game of the season, Birkenhead. This was
always going to be one of the most difficult games of the
season. As with Sandbach, they had some skilful and quick
players, who we allowed to run at us. This resulted in them
scoring a few soft tries that ultimately lead to us losing 10-14.
Not the ideal end to a good season, but hopefully we will
learn from our mistakes.
The Team: Front row, Tom Broadhead, Hugh Wignall and
Douglas Allsop. Seldom was this front row pushed back in the
scrum. Tom and Hugh’s support play was invaluable, while
Douglas’ scrumming improved with every game and he
became an integral part of the engine room. Second row, Dan
Thomas and James Leahy. Dan, being big and strong, was
able to carry the ball well. James, although playing lock, was
often the first player at the breakdown, making his support
play outstanding. Back row, Anthony Wyn-Jones, Jake Taylor
and Sam Phillips. Although Ant had a reasonably quiet
season, he did show great improvement throughout the
season. Jake had a great season, playing the ideal open side
flanker role, putting in some big hits during the season. Sam
unfortunately seemed to pick up a new injury every game.
This was to hamper his progress, but he was still able to put in
a big effort through most of the season.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Scrum half, Bryn Phillips. He played some great rugby. For
someone so small, Bryn was never scared to take on
someone twice his size. It is important, though, that he learns
not to over-do the physical part of his rugby, and rather
concentrate on his distribution and putting players away. Will
Goodwin proved to be a good fly half, being able to spot a
gap very quickly. His distribution both off his left and right
hand is very good – his main downside being his size and
speed. Centres, George Baxter, (Captain) and Iwan Phillips
formed a good pairing. George enjoyed running with the ball
in hand, and was never one to shy away from running into
space, while his defence was always rock solid. Iwan,
although not the biggest, also put in some big hits, although,
like his brother, too often took the ball into contact. This is an
aspect that they must both focus on next year. Wings,
George Cave and Jamie Whittles. George has a tremendous
amount of speed and was able to use it to score many fine
tries during the season. Jamie was moved to wing mid-way
through the season and showed glimpses of what he is
capable of doing. With a little more confidence, Jamie could
really show his true potential.
Fullback, Ben Brooks. Unfortunately missed the first few
games due to injury.
U14B Rugby Report
A season with more fixtures than in previous years provided
a comprehensive fixture list. The challenge was to play
against a number of A teams, including Wrekin College,
Malvern, Stafford and Rossall. While we maintained a
creditable degree of resistance against these sides it was
difficult to gain enough ball to develop penetrative passages
of play, particularly as A teams always have a number of
large and fast players. However, when we did play B teams,
the games were close with a good win against Malvern’s B
side. To the credit of the team, while it was not easy playing
against other schools’ A teams, the squad were always
74
Playing fullback for the first time was somewhat daunting for
him initially, but with his pace and the way he reads the
game, I think Ben could be an awesome fullback. Other
players to have played for the team this year include
Michael Brown at prop and lock, Dominic Ellis at loose
forward, and Ollie Brereton at flank and centre.
To use only 18 players during the season shows how
fortunate we were with injuries and this also helped with
continuity.
Overall, we had a very successful season, but I don’t
believe we quite played to our full potential. If we can
produce the attacking rugby that they played against Rydal,
and the determination shown against the big side from
Sandbach, I am sure we can have a fantastic season next
year. Well done and good luck for the future.
Regular players:
B Brooks, J Whittles, I Phillips, G Baxter (captain), G Cave,
W Goodwin, B, Phillips, S Phillips, A Wyn-Jones, J Taylor,
D Thomas, J Leahy, D Allsop, H Wignall, T Broadhead,
M Brown, D Ellis, O Brereton
CCC
determined and never gave up even in difficult situations.
During the season there was a definite improvement in all
aspects of the game, particularly organisation at the
breakdown, tackling and passing under pressure. I am sure
much of this was due to the fact that the A team and B team
squads trained together. There was always a good squad
spirit and an excellent attendance at training. The team was
never short of players for matches, often the issue being to
get a game for all who wished to play. A real credit to both
the U14 rugby squads. Well done.
GO
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Girls’ Hockey

Girls’ Hockey Report

Girls’ hockey has enjoyed another successful season. This County Achievements
term saw the introduction of using Wednesday/Thursday This term we have 6 girls representing the County at Hockey.
Games Afternoons to train on Astroturf surfaces at Lilleshall Emma Johnson (U17)
National Sports Centre and RAF Shawbury. Both venues Emily Lewis, Charlotte Shearer and Zoe Evans (U15)
have been excellent for developing the girls’ stick skills and
Sarah Wicks and Alex Fearns (U13)
game play in order for us to compete against schools with
Astros. All girls from the U11 Team to 1st Team have had HLG
the chance to play on Astroturf.
There have been some creditable performances throughout 1st X1 Girls Hockey Season Review
the season: The following is a quick guide to the
1st Team played 9, won 5, drew 1 and lost 3. There were 2006/ 07 seasons fixtures.
creditable wins over King’s Chester, Abbots Bromley, Sept 16th Kings won 6-0
Oswestry School, Bedstone College and Stafford Grammar
Sept 20th Stafford G won 3-1
School. This is a young team (many Year 11s) who have
enjoyed success this year which makes the outlook for Girls’ Sept 27th 7’s T’ment 6th place
Hockey promising for next year! A special mention should go Oct 4th Welshpool lost 5-0
to Abigail Merrill, who has been an excellent Captain and has Oct 11th U19 T’ment 4th place
led by example on and off the pitch. Oct 14th Rydal Lost 7-0
The most successful team were the Junior A’s, who are a Nov 1st A. Bromley won 1-0
team made up of Year 9’s and 10’s. They won all their Nov 4th Oswestry won 1-0
matches. During the season they scored an incredible 45
goals and only let 1 goal past them. There are many talented Nov 8th Wrekin lost 9-0
girls in this team and a special mention must go to Emily Nov 11th Bedstone won 2-0
Lewis who played two games for the 1st XI. Nov 15th Moreton drew 0-0
In Lower School the hockey is thriving. The U13s came
Runners up in the U13 North Shropshire Hockey and the A very hectic and busy schedule has seen the 1st X1 make
U12’s came 3rd in the same competition. Both teams have excellent progress this season.
enjoyed success and have only lost 1 game this season. The team said goodbye to 8 members of the squad from last
U11/U10’s enjoyed many friendly matches. The highlight of season and so only 3 players remained from the previous
their term was beating Moreton Hall twice on their Astroturf. season’s expolits.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Abi Merrill, last year’s vice captain was given the leadership
and Beth Clewlow was chosen as her understudy in this very
young team. Out of the squad of 14, 7 were from year 11 and
so the balance and tactics of the team changed in accordance
to the new structure and formation of the team.
The fixture list was planned meticulously to ensure each game
was pushing the ability of the team constantly and this has
resulted in some excellent team performances. The squad
was also able to benefit this year by using the facilities at
lillieshaw as part of the team’s Wednesday schedule which
helped push on the astro skills to compete this season.
Ellesmere 6 v Kings Chester 0
Sarah Haynes 4
Abi Merrill
Emma Johnson
The opening match of the season’s calendar saw the
appearance of King’s to Ellesmere in what is always a very
competitive match. The team was very nervous before the
first game of the season and for many it was their first
chance of representing Ellesmere at 1st team level.
The nerves quickly disappeared as the team took early
control of the game and were ahead within the first few
minutes thanks to a great sweeping goal from Sarah Haynes
after some great link up play with Emma Johnson.
The rest of the game continued in much the same fashion as
Ellesmere did not allow the Kings team to get settled and the
1st X1 took there chances as and when they came. 3 more
goals came from Sarah Haynes with Emma Johnson and Abi
Merrill adding to the tally. A great team performance and an
outstanding start to the season. Special mention must go to
Georgie Adams who, playing out of her normal position was
instrumental in the team keeping a clean sheet with some
great defensive work.
Goal machine Sarah Haynes chasing the ball against Kings
Chester, a game in which she scored 4!!!.
Stafford Grammar 1 v Ellesmere 3
Sarah Haynes
Abi Merrill
Beth Clewlow
A buoyant Ellesmere took their confidence from the Kings
game into this fixture and soon found themselves 1-0 up
from another Sarah Haynes goal. The game then became a
little static as both teams cancelled each other out. The
second half saw Ellesmere trying to spread the play and
break down the stubborn Stafford defence and this was
finally undone by a great solo goal from Beth Clewlow. At
this point Ellesmere took their foot of the pedal and soon
found themselves chasing the ball rather than controlling it.
Stafford scored after some defensive mix ups and it looked
as if the final 10 minutes would see Stafford equalize.
However, the team , pushed on by Abi Merrill, went straight
up the other end, were awarded a short corner and one
which Abi dispatched with aplomb, right in the bottom corner
not giving the keeper a chance. That killed the game off and
the result was confirmed.
76
7’s County Tournament
The 7’s tournament saw Ellesmere put through their paces
by stronger more proficient teams and although the team
managed to win one of their matches they did not get
through to the next phase.
Welshpool 5 v Ellesmere 0
A new fixture for the season’s calander saw Ellesmere visit
Welshpool, last year’s Welsh under 18 champions.
The two teams competed well in the middle of the park but
ther experiece of the Welshpool team told in the the D as two
well worked goals saw Ellesmere down at hlaf time. The
second half saw Ellesmere run out of steam and the
Welshpool team becam camped in the Ellesmere half. A
spell of 5 minutes saw 3 more goals fly in as the 1st X1
struggled against the stronger competitor but to theor credit
they kept going and this was testament to their attitude
throughout the season.
Under 19 County Tournament
The following week saw the Under 19 County tournament.
The team played well in all 3 games and there was very little
between the teasmsThe final match against Shrewsbury saw
Ellesmere control the game in parts but a 2-0 scoreline
resulted in Shrewsbury going through as area winners.
Rydal Penrhos 7 v Ellesmere 0
This was indeed the preverbial game of 2 halves. The team
went out to start the match having been told to keep the ball
and play the game our way. Within 3 minutes of the start this
had been forgotten and we chased the ball for 30 minutes.
Rydal dominated posession but Ellesmere helped them with
this by giving the ball away far too easily as and when we
happened to have it. At half time the team were very
disappointed by their own performance and with a few choice
words from the coach they went into the second half with a
clear plan and focus for the half. The second half was very
encouraging, Ellesmere broke down the variety of attacks
that Rydal tried and on several occasion greater composure
in the opponents D would have resulted in at least 2 goals for
Ellesmere. The defence stood strong and coped with
everything and only an unfortunate touch of the ball by the
foot as it went past the keeper saw a penalty flick awarded to
Rydal and one which they managed to despatch against
Mary Pescod. Overall a disappointing result but much should
be taken from the second half display.
Abbots Bromley 0 v Ellesmere 1
Sarah Haynes
The traditionally long trip to Abbots Bromley did not
disappoint as the weather was bitterly cold and yet it brought
about another victory for the 1st X1. The team were missing
their Captain due to illness and the team welcomed Emily
Lewis who was in the team as cover for the missing
midfielder. A tough match commenced with both sides
having opportunities but the Bromley keeper made a string of
fine saves to keep the score all level. Finally Ellesmere
played some strong hockey and from some well worked
passing from the midfield, Sarah Haynes was able to ghost
in and place the ball passed the unguarded keeper.
Ellesmere continued to push second half but some smart
keeping from Mary Pescod denied Bromley their equaliser.
Overall a fair result and one which showed how well the
defence can operate when they work as a unit.
Ellesmere 1 v Oswestry 0
Sarah Haynes
The usual (local Derby) came around by welcoming the
arrival of Oswestry to the grass fortress that is Ellesmere. A
quick tempo to the game emerged and several early chances
were not put away by Ellesmere.
Oswesty scored froma set piece but the second official over-
ruled it due to the hit being outside of the D.
The first half pettered out and the team were told that they
had to make the most of their chances.

Better team play in the second half saw players like Sarah
haynes and Emily lewis having more time with the ball in
dangerous positions and it was from one of these attacjs that
Emily beat 2 players, got the ball to the top of the D and
placed it in the coprner away from the advancing keeper.
The goal released the tension in the game and the crowd
went wild with delight. Other chances came the Ellesmere
way but the final ball always lacked that right pace or touch
to ensure we could pit the result out of sight. The final whistle
went and the team were much relived by the result.
Wrekin 9 v Ellesmere 0
A fixture mix up saw Ellesmere play the Wrekin 1st X1 whose
players are county and midlands regulars. The difference in
class was evident as the Wrekin team used the ball to much
greater advantage than Ellesmere did. In all fairness the
score line did not do justice to the team performance and the
Wrekin coach was very complimentary as to the attitude and
approach to the game that the girls showed. Although this
was a slight miss-match it gave the girls the chance to see
the level they need to reach to be able to compete against
the bets teams in and around the county.
Bedstone 0 v Ellesmere 2
Steph Perrin
Beth Clewlow
An away journey saw the 1st X1 visit a windy and rain swept
Bedstone. The grass pitch evened the game up and at half
time both teams had had clear chances to break the
deadlock. A strategic change second half saw Steph Perrin
pushed upfront and this paid dividends when the ball broke
free and Steph turned the keeper and placed the ball into the
bottom corner and walked away with the most uninspired
celebration witnesses during the season. Beth Clewlow after
a good solo run put the game beyond doubt and the 2-0
victory made the trip home much easier.
Moreton Hall 0 v Ellesmere 0
This was a spectacular game from start to finish and all
involved in it, players, umpires and spectators all agreed.
The evening push off under the floodlights always adds a
touch of atmosphere to the game. Ellesmere started of the
strongest and some great wing play saw Steph Perrin and
Beth Clewlow both go close in the first half.
However, some stout defending by Grace Kendall and
Ashley Whittle kept the strong Moreton attack at bay.
The second half continued in much the same way as the first
finished with the game being a continuous end to end
encounter.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Steph Perrin found herself clean through with only the
Goalkeeper to beat but was called back by the umpire for an
earlier offence. The final whistle went and the result and the
performance was level and a great way to end the season.
Captain Abi Merrilll going thorugh some drills at the
Lilleshall Centre of Excellence, a facility that has really
developed the stick skills of all during the season
Special mentions must go to the captain Abigail Merrill; who
has led by example this year and has has done much for
hockey at Ellesmere during her time here. Abi has always
done everything for the team and has helped to push the
standard of Hockey and indeed level of enthusdaism that is
now being diplsyed amongst all the team within the school.
Every member of the team has played to the best of their
ability and has done anything that was asked of them. Player
of the year was Emma Johnsona and players player was
Grace Kendall.
Firstly I would like to say a hugh thank you to my co-coach
and right arm in hockey Ms Goss. Ms Goss works very hard
behind the scenes in planning the fixtures etc and without this
effort the season would not have been anywhere as good as it
has been. The season from start to finish has been great fun
and her ambition to see the team perform has been
inspriational for all involved in hockey at Ellesmere. I would
like to express my sincere thanks to all involved in girls hockey
for all their help and support this term, especially the ground
staff and all those who have supported the girls in their games.
S Mullock. 1st X1 Coach
2nd XI Girls’ Hockey
A number of last year’s team
members were selected for the 1 sts ,
showing how much they had
improved. The new 2 nd team were
therefore a mixture of old and new.
Despite this they quickly bonded
creating a fun and enthusiastic
atmosphere. Training got off to a
good start, with sessions being both
at home on grass and at Lilleshall
centre of excellence on astro turf.
This enabled the girls to develop
their skills on both playing surfaces.
However, the girls only had a few
matches this year, to test out their
new skills. Unfortunately, the
matches did not go our way,
although the girls always had fun
and gave it their all.
Sarah-Jane Beswick & RC
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Junior A Side, 2006
“Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to
prison by a military court for a crime they didn't
commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum
security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.
Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as
soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one
else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can
hire... The A-Team.”
So ran the opening credits to the cult American TV series of
the early eighties. Perhaps ten years from now, future
students may well be asking, “Who exactly were the
legendary Ellesmere Junior A Side?”
Long before the 2006 season began, a plan had been
hatched by the inner sanctum of Girls’ Hockey to challenge
the talented crop of players emerging from Lower School by
merging them with the best of the Year 10 squad and moving
them straight up to Under 15 hockey. Some were nervous
as to this step up, others worried about fusing players from
the two year groups. What resulted was by any standards a
truly remarkable season of school sport for a golden crop of
talented girls. The playing record speaks for itself; played 8,
won 8, scored 45, conceded 1. Some of the score-lines do
not tell the full story of the matches behind them – the
domination of possession and relentless attacks that were
features of the earlier games in particular. I have certainly
never before witnessed such commitment and will to win that
spread from the nucleus of the side to the entire squad.
Despite only conceding one goal between them, our two goal
-keepers Amy Fokinther and Carys Fieldhouse had plenty
of work to do and distinguished themselves on numerous
occasions.
78
Sweeper Charlotte Shearer showed great poise on the
ball and rarely let anything or anyone past her. Centre-
back Melissa Evans, so often plagued by injuries in the
past, played the full season ignoring numerous injuries and
even a bout of tonsillitis.
The two full – backs, Rebecca Britton and Alice Simpson,
developed into elegant defenders, equally adept coming
forward. Viola Grosvenor, the midfield stopper, covered
every blade of grass, happily running herself into the
ground week in, week out. Emily Wicks and Sophie
Halstead shared the right – wing duties, the former gliding
past opponents with ease and delivering fine crosses, the
latter showing lightning pace and the ability to score goals.
Steph Newport – Booth charged down the left-wing, a
truly unstoppable force and a defender’s nightmare. Lucy
Forgrave’s predatory instincts in front of goal saw her
become the team’s top scorer. A number of other girls also
played their part in ensuring the team’s 100 % record,
notably Chloe Minshaw, Lydia Lam, Holly Liversage,
Lucy Harrington and Charlotte Boffey.
It is not usually fair to single out players from such a dream
team, but in this instance I will make an exception. Captain
Zoe Evans and forward Emily Lewis do deserve
something of a special mention not just for their sheer
talent, mobility and vision. Possibly the most remarkable
thing about both players is their commendable modesty;
both are utterly self – effacing, keen to learn and improve
and, first and foremost, team players. They, along with
many others from this golden squad, will surely go on to
have a starring role in senior hockey for a number of years
to come.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Match Reports Sat Nov 4th v Oswestry

Sat 16th Sept v King’s, Chester
Won 5-0 (Lewis 2, Forgrave 2, Evans Z 1)
A remarkable performance by the whole squad, the clean
sheet being as impressive as the five goals at the other
end. A tight first – half was shaded by Ellesmere when
Emily Lewis ran unchecked into the “D” and slotted past the
King’s keeper. In the second-half, consistent pressure
brought four more goals; Lucy Forgrave swept home two
fine efforts, Zoe Evans touched in a short-corner at the
near post and Emily bagged her second. Amy Fokinther
and the defence still had some work to do to keep out the
King’s attack, and so all 13 players played their part in a
magnificent victory.
Sat 23rd Sept v Wolverhampton G S
Won 9-0 (Forgrave 2, Lewis 2, ZEvans 2, Halstead 2,
Newport – Booth 1)
The most remarkable thing about this result was that the
opposition were not a bad side. In fact, they were quite
good; they won three short – corners before we really
threatened their goal, and for the first ten minutes they
were camped in the Ellesmere half. Thereafter they were
pounded into submission by a fearsome onslaught by our
forwards. Three goals up at half-time, another six in the
second-half, Emily Lewis having had a hand in most of
them and being robbed of a hat-trick for the second week
running by a cunning poacher who shall remain nameless.
Wed Oct 4th v Welshpool
Won 5-0 (Lewis 2, Newport-Booth 2, Grosvenor 1)
Welshpool were expected to provide a stiffer test – their
firsts certainly looked a handy side. The first goal went in
after two minutes – Steph Newport - Booth sweeping home
after a fine move down the right-wing. Thereafter
Welshpool barely made it into the Ellesmere half. Emily
Lewis helped herself to another two goals, one a lethal
finish after a quick counter-attack. Viola also notched her
first of the season from a short-corner, and Steph finished
the scoring in the final minute.
Sat Oct 7th v Oswestry HC
Won 7-0 (Lewis 4, Forgrave 1, Lam 1, Shearer 1)
This was a useful training exercise on The Marches
Astroturf. Having bagged a brace in each of the three
previous games, Emily Lewis was not to be denied a hat-
trick and scored the first three in addition to having a goal
disallowed. She even managed to sweep home a fourth
from a short-corner having been switched to sweeper.
Lucy grabbed a trademark poacher’s goal and was then
also switched to the back where she looked equally at
home. There was also a debut goal for left-wing Lydia Lam
but the game’s champagne moment came when Charlotte
Shearer swept home a short-corner and did not seem to
understand that her shot hitting the backboard could
possibly constitute a goal. Priceless.
Won 8-0 (Forgrave 3, Z Evans 3, M Evans 2)
Steph N-B unavailable, Emily Lewis starring for the Firsts,
and a warm-up that suggested the squad was still half-
asleep did not bode well. It got worse. In the first play of
the game, Charlotte Shearer tried to clear the ball whilst
simultaneously removing her tracksuit bottoms. Comical. It
took a good fifteen minutes before the team found its
rhythm; Oswestry tested our goal more than any other
opposition this season – Carys Fieldhouse made four good
saves. Gradually, however, the juggernaut started rolling.
A 3-0 half-time lead was secured, with Lucy Forgrave and
Zoe Evans claiming 1 ½ goals each. The same pair added
to the tally, scoring a hat-trick each and Melissa Evans,
pushed forward for a fairytale goal, cheekily scored twice in
the closing minutes.
Wed Nov 8th v Wrekin
Won 4-1 (Forgrave 3, Wicks 1)
At last, a stern test. Wrekin were tough in the tackle and
quite adept in front of goal. Indeed, they became the first
team to score against us – a fierce short-corner strike, and
might have had two more but for a fine save by Carys and
a great stick-stop by MEvans. To be fair, by the time they
did score, Ellesmere had already notched four; Lucy
Forgrave bagged her second hat-trick in five days and
Emily Wicks found the scoresheet for the first time with a
shot-cum-cross. A rather disjointed display on a tight,
narrow pitch, but another win nonetheless.
Sat Nov 11th v Moreton Hall
Won 2-0 (Forgrave 2)
Another tight game to finish the season – in fact, it could
easily have ended 0-0 but for Lucy Forgrave’s predatory
instincts. Twice she followed up other people’s shots, and
in doing so ensured that she ended up top scorer for the
Junior As. Moreton never looked liked posing a real threat
to our goal, although Alice Simpson and keeper Fieldhouse
both made timely interventions to keep the sheet clean. A
hard-fought victory on a leafy pitch that was shrowded in
darkness by 3pm.
Top Goal Scorers
L Forgrave 15, E Lewis 13, Z Evans 6, S Newport-Booth 3
S Halstead 2, M Evans 2, V Grosvenor 1, C Shearer 1
L Lam 1, S Wicks 1
Clean Sheets
A Fokinther 5 C Fieldhouse 2

Sat Oct 14th v Rydal

Won 5-0 (Lewis 3, Forgrave 2)
Another opposition well and truly steam-rollered on a fine
morning on the first – team pitch. Emily once again opened
the scoring with a fierce slap into the top right-hand corner
– a truly spectacular effort. She doubled the lead soon
after, and Lucy Forgrave, lurking as instructed on the
penalty spot, swept home a third. The same two players
extended the lead in the second – half, Lucy touching home
Emily’s short-corner, and Emily bagging her hat-trick from
another set-piece.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Junior B Side, 2006

The Junior B hockey squad worked extremely hard On a number of occasions players were called to play
throughout the playing season. Playing formations for the Junior A squad. This is a testimony to the
had to be carefully considered depending upon the playing ability of this group.
strength and skills of the girls in the group. Many of
the players had not played as a unit together before Abbots Bromley lost 1-0
so much of the early season was spent on this. Stafford Grammar drew 0-0
Throughout the season many players really improved Wolverhampton lost 1-0
their playing skills on both astroturf and grass Rydal Penrhos lost 1-0
surfaces. It was pleasing to see the progress and Wrekin lost 1-0
unity that the squad developed as the games Moreton drew 0-0
progressed. They certainly pushed the Junior A
squad at times during squad training sessions. The Squad players:
strength of the Under 14 year group as a whole L Lam, C Boffey, S Collison, E Evans, M Evans,
depended upon the depth of commitment that these K Foster, L Harrington, H. Liversage, R Rickett,
girls showed in their training. It demonstrated the T Renner, P Russell, A Sloan, S Wolfson
strength of the under 14 year group as a whole. SO

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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Lent Term

SEVENS SEASON SUMMARY We moved through the group scoring freely, with Steve
Once Rosslyn fades from memory we can look back at a Bannister running in 10 tries in the 4 group matches.
fantastic season. We have reached as far as we did in the Marlborough proved quite tricky after the group stages,
various tournaments before, but have never done so with playing in a physical, hard-tackling style.
such confidence and authority. To be able to say during We began well against Kirkham, scoring the opener, but then
the course of 4 tournaments that we won games against gave away a couple of bits of possession to allow them to
Millfield, Bromsgrove, Colston’s and Warwick is a huge score, although we made it hard with some tremendous
achievement. Not only that, but we did it in real style, tackling. Although 3 tries to 1 at half time, we dominated the
scoring freely and showing a high level of skill. Well done second half and got back into our stride. Kirkham stopped
to all involved, especially those now moving on: S play 4 or 5 times with ‘injuries’ but we continued to move the
Bannister, J Farrell, J Asplin, A Ellis and D Matthews.
ball and probe for openings. We eventually finished level 3
They will be a very hard act to follow.
tries apiece, but failed to convert the crucial kick.
SEVENS SEASON 2007 Not to worry – we looked one of the best teams in the
tournament. It was wet and muddy throughout the day and
CHRIST’S COLLEGE BRECON SEVENS the pitches were small; something that did not suit us
particularly. Good signs for future tournaments.
GROUP MATCHES
By a strange quirk of organisation, two of the teams we
ELLESMERE 24 MILLFIELD 0
thrashed in the group appeared in the semi-finals with
ELLESMERE 33 CHELTENHAM 0 Kirkham eventually beating Millfield by 2 points to win
ELLESMERE 36 HEREFORD C 7 the final.
ELLESMERE 24 CHRIST BRECON 7
LAST 16 CHRIST HOSPITAL SEVENS
ELLESMERE 17 MARLBOROUGH 7 A never-to-be-repeated trip saw us looking for a Sevens
QUARTER FINAL Tournament in Sussex. After opening our account with a
decent score and win against Brighton College, the rain
ELLESMERE 17 KIRKHAM 19
continued to fall and, without a word to participating teams,
An excellent start to the Sevens season saw Ellesmere everyone walked off. This signalled the end of a weird
dispose of some famous names in this tournament, with an experience.
excellent opener against Millfield in which we knocked them
off their stride and shut them out. ELLESMERE 28 BRIGHTON COLLEGE 0

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

NORTH OF ENGLAND SEVENS - BIRKENHEAD ROSSLYN PARK SEVENS

GROUP MATCHES ELLESMERE 28 ABINGDON 12
ELLESMERE 31 LYMM 0 ELLESMERE 26 FETTES 22
ELLESMERE 38 MERCHANT TAYLORS 0
ELLESMERE 33 AMPLEFORTH 19 ELLESMERE 22 HURSTPIERPOINT 17
ELLESMERE 36 SEDBERGH B 5 ELLESMERE 12 ROYAL HOSPITAL 5
QUARTER FINAL QUALIFYING ROUND
ELLESMERE 45 KINGS WORCESTER 5 ELLESMERE 10 WELLINGTON 33
SEMI FINAL
ELLESMERE 12 SEDBERGH 22 This was a hugely disappointing end to an excellent Sevens
FINAL season. In all other tournaments we were always one of the
SEDBERGH 42 BARNARD CASTLE 5 top 2 sides on show, playing with confidence and bounce; we
found that as a team we picked this tournament to have an off-
Ellesmere repeated their performance of 2 years ago,
day. In the group matches against average sides we seemed
finishing semi-finalists in this prestigious tournament. From
40 schools competing, Ellesmere finished in the top 4 after to struggle from the start, finding the matches hard work,
working their way through a punishing schedule. In the compared with other tournaments where we stormed through
group stages the most difficult game was against Ampleforth, the group matches against top sides such as Millfield,
who pulled back to 19-19 before 2 further tries finished off Warwick, Bromsgrove etc., barely conceding any tries.
the match with a win for Ellesmere. Having watched our opponents play in the first round we had
The quarter-final was straightforward enough, but then there picked Abingdon as the team to beat, and duly did this; not
was a long wait before the semi against Sedbergh. Good without one or two scares, particularly in the second half
play in the first 2 minutes saw us fashion an opening, only to when the referee gave 4 successive penalties against us and
see a tap tackle prevent Steve Bannister opening the helped them back into the game. We did not expect too
scoring. Two tries down at half time, we fought back well and much from Fettes and our lack of focus showed. They had
had our moments, eventually going down 4 tries to 2. one outstanding player who caused a lot of damage, and 2
Throughout the tournament we were very strong in defence minutes into the second half we found ourselves 22-7 down.
and exciting in attack. Our playmaker James Farrell and At this point we played with the style, enthusiasm and vigour
finisher Steve Bannister were always a threat. Elsewhere, we had shown before and scored 3 tries in quick succession
experience from Danny Matthews, Aled Ellis, and Jake to win the game.
Asplin ensured we kept our shape and handled well. New Similarly against Hurstpierpoint we found ourselves 17-15
boys Nat Thomas and Adam Churton, both players with down with minutes to go. A late rally saw us score under the
pace, came on well during the matches. posts to secure victory. In our last game we played Royal
KING’S WORCESTER SEVENS Hospital. We needed to win as it looked likely that Abingdon
would win all of their other matches, and the team with most
GROUP MATCHES
wins would go through followed by the team with most
ELLESMERE 47 LOUGHBOROUGH 7 scores. We ground out a victory, having gone a try down,
ELLESMERE 43 WARWICK 12 and squeezed through the group stages.
ELLESMERE 29 BROMSGROVE 7
In years gone by winning the group was always something
QUARTER FINAL difficult, and this was no exception, although we had expected
ELLESMERE 26 CHELTENHAM 14 to do it in style. It was still pleasing to win through the group 2
SEMI FINAL years in succession. We knew beforehand that we stood a fair
ELLESMERE 19 COLSTON’S 7 chance of facing Wellington at the end of the day, which would
always be a tricky encounter. Unfortunately our poor showing
FINAL during the day seemed to have drained our confidence and
ELLESMERE 19 BROMSGROVE 19 although we scored first we were never in the game. We failed
BROMSGROVE WON IN EXTRA TIME to re-gather the next start, when they lined up with 6 players to
WITH FIRST SCORE WINS RULE the right of the kicker and we remained in our usual formation!
The ball went with the wind downfield and we gave away a 5m
Another excellent outing saw Ellesmere in fine form in the scrum from which they scored. Later, when we scored again,
group stages. Notable victories against Loughbrough, we failed to catch their kick-off and instantly gave them a try.
Warwick and Bromsgrove set us up as favourites, having Without us troubling them too much they were able to bring on
topped the toughest group. The quarter-final against the subs with the game won, and we trudged off at the end a
Cheltenham was one of the more difficult games against a very disappointed side.
very tight defence, but once through that we were up against What happened to a really efficient, effective side? In the end
Colston’s, a forward-orientated team and, although we had we went out to a good side, but they were some way short of
little ball, what we did get we used well and scored out wide. Sedburgh whom we played in the North of England semi-final,
We waited until 7 pm for the Final under lights. We had lost and our form was a long way short of previous tournaments.
James Farrell, while Bromsgrove had gained a star player We looked tired as though we were drained of energy. This
unavailable earlier on. In a tremendous game that swung showed in the tries conceded in the group games. We fell off
one way and then the other we came back from 19-12 down tackles, missing many. We failed to cover each other properly
to level the scores. Into sudden death and we had to kick off. in the middle and tries began in this area. By playing a
We tackled and eventually won the ball back only to knock- sweeper rather than opposite wing covering back, we asked
on. “Scrum Bromsgrove” and several phases of play later, a
more work of everyone covering across, but as our group
try in the corner and victory to Bromsgrove.
game pitch was a postage stamp this seemed reasonable –
During this tournament we played some of our best Sevens and anyway all the top teams played a sweeper.
so far. It began against Warwick (Daily Mail Cup Finalists)
with all their players available. We handled the ball with James Farrell and Danny Matthews were as effective as ever
confidence, retained possession and scored out wide. We and James King showed good form in the group games.
were well-organised and ensured that we lined up with pace Unfortunately, on a bleak freezing cold day with a biting wind,
men on both wings. we lost our previous bounce and swagger and never quite
Another confident outing in which we saw further performed.
improvements. Now for the big test: Rosslyn Park. PAG
82

U16 Sevens Report
This was a very frustrating season of Rugby
7’s for the U16 age group. We were down to
play in three different tournaments, but
eventually only played in one, due to bad
weather and rearranged fixtures. The
tournament we did enter was a big event down
at London Irish RUFC, with many top schools
from around the country competing.
We were in a group of three in the qualifying
stages and had to ensure we won at least one
of our two games to progress to the next
round. We unfortunately lost our first game 12-
5, in a very close game that saw a try to win
the game awarded to the opposition, which
was dubious at best. We did not let this defeat
get us down and prepared for our next match,
against King Edward VI school, we played
some good attacking rugby and defended our
lines well, we ran in three tries and converted
one of these to make the final score 17-0 to us
and therefore book our passage into the last
16 of the tournament.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Our next opponents were Warwick, a very good rugby
school, who had won all of their group games and
done so in some style and were also one of the
favourites to win the tournament overall. We did not
let this get to us though and begun the match very
well, competing in the face of the stronger opposition,
we more than held our ground against them and were
unfortunate to concede two tries in the first half,
which made the score 12-0 at half time. The second
half was very close, we could have scored on a
couple of occasions and were in the opponents faces
throughout, which they did not like and which
subsequently led to them getting frustrated, we were
the better team in the second half and although we
lost the match 12-0, could hold our heads up high
after a good performance. To reach the last 16 of a
tournament that had all of the top schools in the
country attending was a good achievement. Well
done to all of the boys who competed, they know who
they are and good luck for the future.
ILR
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
U15 Rugby Sevens Report 2007
The Sevens programme began in the customary way with a
visit to the Adams’ Newport Sevens.
As usual the Ellesmere team entered the competition in the
true Corinthian spirit, having spent next to no time practising
Sevens! In the first game against the host school our
inexperience was clear for all to see as we went down by 5
tries to 1. However, the game did give the chance for
everyone to play a half and so begin to learn the game. In
the brief gap between matches, some basic coaching
produced a more organised display, and in our second
match against Birkenhead School we were much the better
outfit and won by 22-7. The third group match was against
Prince Henry’s from Evesham, a school with a strong rugby
reputation. We played some of our best Sevens and won by
17-12, which was a little more comfortable than it sounds,
since they only scored their second try with the last move of
the match. The final game of the group stage was against
the eventual group winners, Rydal. We competed well for the
first half and at half time it was anyone’s game.
84
However their better handling allowed them to score a
couple of tries in the second period and our challenge died
away.
Moving into the Plate Competition we found ourselves up
against St David’s. In a game that form would have
suggested that we should win at a canter we allowed
ourselves to be hustled out of it, keeping possession of the
ball for only a few moments at a time before an unforced
error or poor judgement led us to take the ball into contact
and lose it to physically bigger boys. Despite the
exhortations of the coach we were unable to adapt our play
and went down 0–7. Due to inclement weather no further
tournaments were played.
Team from:
J Maddock-James, O Dodds, G Bilbrough, M Bielby,
A Coubrough, A Sesay, M Jones, J Cole, F Anderson,
J Webb
MDTS

Under 14 Sevens
Unfortunately Ellesmere only took part in one Sevens
tournament, hosted by Adams Grammar in Newport. The
results were not very good; however, the boys certainly
made a huge improvement and need to make sure that this
continues next year. Taking the ball into contact seemed to
be our main problem, and also missing first-time tackles.
Our first game on a freezing cold afternoon was against
Adams’ where we lost 14-19. Picking up a few injuries, and
also losing Will Goodwin to ill health, before the first game
did not help matters and we were taught a lesson against
Leicester losing 7- 24. There were yet more injuries when
we were to face a good side from Bishop Vesey’s, where
we went down 12-28.
Having to beat Rydal in the last of the pool games to make
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
the Plate semi-final, we finally won a very close game 19-14.
This meant that we were to play a strong team from St.
David’s. Having only 7 fit players meant that we had no
reserves and 7 very tired players who played their hearts
out. At the end of full time the scores were 26-26. Sudden
death and we were attacking and getting closer to the try
line, but unfortunately lost the ball in contact and they were
able to pick the ball up and score after a 60m run. Final
score 26-31.
Team:
S. Phillips, H. Wignall, D. Thomas, J. Taylor, B. Phillips,
W. Goodwin, Phillips, G. Baxter (captain), G. Cave,
B. Brooks, J.Whittles
CC
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
1ST XI Boys’ Hockey Season Review 2007
Fixtures & Results
Wrekin College Lost 4-1
Deeside Ramblers Drew 2-2
Shrewsbury School Lost 6-1
Denstone cancelled
Squad:
P Daborn (Captain), A Wacker, J Beil, B Butler, T Davies,
I Disspain, A Deller, N Thomas, S Lewis, S Corran.
J Denham, C Pickering, A Whittle, A Burley, P Gorman,
A Higgins, J Barlett.
The remains of the previous season’s group welcomed
some new blood into the squad this season. The
appearance of Jack Bartlett and Nat Thomas along with
Alex Deller and others enhanced the team and much can
be said for their ability and dedication to the cause.
With Peter Daborn captaining the team the formation was
made up of Jack Barlett in goal, ably protected by a solid
back of Lewis, Pickering, Disspain, Burley and Davies.
The 5-man midfield was well marshalled by Daborn and
Thomas assisted by Beil, Whittle and Butler. The front two
Andreas Wacker and Patrick Gorman gave many attacking
options with the remaining squad members playing in a
variety of roles as and when the team needed them.
86
The pre-season was well disciplined and the use of the astro
at RAF Shawbury enabled many sessions to be played on
the astro and this really improved the touch of the team and
their ability to work set plays. The season kicked-off against
Wrekin who are usually the end of season opposition. The
team in hindsight was probably not ready for such a
challenge and although a Wrekin second team should have
turned out, changes meant that the fixture was against a
mixture of their 1st and 2nd players and this was the
difference in the game. The game started with early Wrekin
pressure but the Ellesmere defence held strong with Nat
Thomas and Peter Daborn working really hard to take the
ball out of the Ellesmere half. At times the team was naïve
and several quick plays by Wrekin saw the team split by
some excellent passing and at half time Ellesmere found
themselves 3-0 down.
The second half started in much the same way with
continued pressure on the back four. However the team
worked more cohesively to deny Wrekin the room they
had been given in the first half. A great bit of individual
skill saw Nat Thomas pick the ball up from the Wrekin 16
hit and dribble round three players before placing a
perfectly weighted shot into the far corner of the goal
away from the advancing keeper. Wrekin scored again at
the end of the game and the result was never really in
doubt. Throughout the game Jack Bartlett made a string
of incredible saves and was the main reason why the
result was kept to what it was.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

A special mention must go to Sam

Corran who was playing his first match
in goal and was awarded the man of
the match award by the Shrewsbury
coach as Sam made several high
class saves to keep the score down to
a minimum.
It is appropriate that I make special
mention of the team captain Peter
Daborn. Peter has played for the 1st XI
since Year 9 and has been an integral
part in the growth and popularity of
boy’s hockey within the School. Peter
has always approached the game with
the right attitude and has been a great
asset to have in the team over the
past five years. I would like to wish
him and all the upper sixth pupils
within the team the best for the future
and hope that they will come back and
play in the OE’s games as the years
go by.
Captain Peter Daborn attempted another spectacular
It has been an enjoyable season
shot against the Ramblers.
which is all down to the effort and
commitment that the squad has
The second fixture against Denstone was somewhat shown towards every training session and every match. I
disappointing. A communication error from Denstone would like to thank the ground staff for their hard work and
resulted in them changing the proposed date for the fixture efforts through the season and a big thank you to Dr
but they failed to inform Ellesmere. On arrival we realized Chatterjee for all his hard work, dedication and support for
they were not expecting us but we made use of their men’s hockey at Ellesmere.
facilities and had a practice game against some of the SBM
boarders – which was very sporting on their behalf.
The traditional game against the Deeside Ramblers provided
Ellesmere with a stiff test and a very competitive and highly
enjoyable game resulted in Ellesmere drawing 2-2 with the
goals coming from Patrick Gorman and Peter Daborn. This
was the 20 something year of this ever popular fixture and
one which both teams look forward to. My thanks to John
Heath and all at the Ramblers for their continuous support
and great enthusiasm in these fixtures – may there be many
more and maybe one day it will be on our own astro pitch!!
A game against Shrewsbury Sixth form
was a very significant test with
Shrewsbury having some very talented
County players and having been national
champions the previous year. The game
started slowly but the threats came from
Shrewsbury. Several key runs saw
Ellesmere panic in defence and gave
Shrewsbury the chance to get ahead. The
score soon went to 2-0 with a well-
rehearsed short corner routine. However
just before the end of the first half some
excellent one -touch passing saw a great
move finished with a calmly taken goal by
Patrick Gorman and this really surprised
Shrewsbury who assumed the game was
already over.
The Ellesmere team failed to match this
type of play throughout the second half
and the quality and calibre of the
opposition came to the fore. Four more
goals were added in a one -sided second
half with Ellesmere unable to put together Charlie “the terrier” Pickering showing determined
any real threat. defending against 2 Deeside Ramblers attackers
87
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
2nd XI Boys’ Hockey
Results
Shrewsbury v Ellesmere 5-1
Wrekin v Ellesmere 4-0
Denstone Cancelled
North Shropshire Tournament (7 a-side) 3rd Place
Wrekin v Ellesmere 4-3
Deeside Ramblers v Ellesmere 5-1
The 2nd XIs were a development squad, with many players
making their hockey debut this year. The core of the team
consisted of year 10’s with a few experienced year 11’s to
lead them. With limited access to astro turf, the team were
always going to struggle, as all games are now played on
this surface. The season started off at Shrewsbury, where
creditable performances were put in by the captain Charlie
Butt who scored with a strong hit at the keeper which left
him floundering. Goalkeeper David Anders-Richards played
well against some fast and hard hitting opponents, but even
with the help of new players George Brown and Oliver
Dodds in defence, it was not enough. The two Wrekin
matches could not have been more different
88
The first match showed a team under development and
simple errors being made. The second match saw better
positional awareness and confidence. The score could
have been in our favour if we had taken the chances
offered. Goal shooting is definitely the main focus of
practice for next season! Frances Killick played well in
midfield, distributing the ball well. Chris von Hoven and
Giles Bilbrough played solid games and were well
supported by a rampaging Harry Hughes. Always the
highlight of the season is our game against the old boys of
Deeside Ramblers. Sam Eaton scored early in the game to
level the score at 1-1. James Walker played a strong
midfield game, defending well and then being in on the
attack. Sean Johnson, Martin Tatchell and Tom Newman
finished their season with their best performances. Jack
Hart showed his versatility by being able to cover 3
different positions as players were subbed. Although the
2nds were not victorious, they learnt a lot and were always
enthusiastic. Thanks for a great season lads.
Well done.
Charlie Butt & Dr R Chatterjee

1st XI Football
This has been another positive year for Ellesmere Football.
We have fielded eleven teams during the term and over one
hundred boys have represented the school.
Although the 1st X1 had a difficult season in terms of results,
their attitude towards training and representing the school
was excellent. We were strong at 2nd eleven, U15, and U13,
winning 75% of our fixtures. Our U12s showed good
progress and our U11 team reached the semi final of the
Ellesmere Tournament going out on sudden death penalties
to the eventual winners.
The highlight of the 1st X1 season came against Shrewsbury
Sixth Form 2nds. They of course are one of the strongest
teams in our area and have in recent years increased the
quality of the team which visits us. They showed their
standard and Adam Beech, our goalkeeper, pulled of a string
of saves to keep us in the match. After absorbing the early
pressure, we broke out from defence. Good work by Captain,
Alex Dunne, set Stephen Johnson away on the right. He
squared to Mark Pearson who laid the ball on for Dunne. He
rounded the last defender who pulled him down, conceding
the penalty. Pearson stepped forward and made no mistake.
Sound defensive work meant that we retained our lead for an
impressive win.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Apart from one match we competed well and lost matches
by the odd goal or drew, winning only three of our twelve
fixtures. However we now have a good structure in place
and the standard of football continues to improve.
1st Eleven Awards
Players Player: Bradley Claxton
Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Mark Pearson
Full Colours:
Charles Chambers (re-awarded), Bradley Claxton,
Alex Dunne (re-awarded), Nick Evans, Tom Burrows,
John Steggles
Half Colours:
Stephen Johnson, James Jarvis, Tom Bohn, Adam Beech,
Lewis Wantling, Matthew Burrows, Mark Pearson,
Sam McElwee, Freddie Nevel
DJM
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
U15 Football
Strength and Depth in Outstanding Squad
The Under 15s provided further evidence of the continuing
improvement in the strength of Ellesmere College’s football.
Next season, senior team selection will be made even harder
by the addition of this crop of talented players. In training the
squad had a faultless attitude, putting in full effort on their
skills and fitness. During matches, all players showed a high
work rate, good pressure on the ball to win possession,
strong aerial ability and a calm temperament under pressure
born of sound technical ability. Our defenders dispossessed
attackers freely, wide players showed lots of pace and the
ability to take the ball past the opposition, our midfield
commanded and our strikers finished efficiently. A player of
the season would be impossible to pick from Cole,
Coubrough, and McElwee, as they all played with such
consistency and influence.
Bedstone (away) 3-2 victory
On a dreadful pitch every player worked hard to secure a 3-2
victory, with outstanding defending from Clutton and goals
from Jones and Dapling (2).
Wolverhampton (home) 4-2 loss
Against a strong Wolverhampton team at home, Sesay and
Coubrough caused lots of problems with their speed, with
Anderson, Maddocks and Cole also impressing. McElwee
headed in a Coubrough cross, and Cole scored from the
penalty when Coubrough was fouled.
90
Denstone (away)
The A team 2-1 loss The B team 4-2 victory
The A team played 95% of the game in the opposition half,
on a waterlogged pitch. Denstone scored on the break
beating a sound offside trap, their second coming from a
goalmouth scramble following a rebound off a freekick shot.
A goal from Dapling midway through the second half made
for a tense and ultimately frustrating end to the game.
The B team adopted a route one, “we’ll score more than you”
plan, as the ground was too muddy for a passing game and
so easy to slip on that defending could not be relied upon.
Ali made a valiant appearance, especially as he had to play
much of the game one handed due to having to hold up his
shorts when the elastic on them snapped! The difference
between the teams eventually proved to be in the form of
Jones, who won every free ball going in midfield and who
then consistently released McElwee, who impressively
scored 4 goals on the break with the ball sticking underfoot.
Concorde (home) 4-0 victory
In our final game we played Concorde at home. The game
had the air of an exhibition match as the players put the
talents they had shown throughout the season to effective
use. Rowland, Davies (2) and McElwee scored.
PIR

U14 Football
For his first term in charge the coach had inherited the U14
team. From the outset this was to be a challenging term.
Our first game was at home against Sandbach. For this
game we were able to field a full 11 players with substitutes
as well, a luxury we would not always have for the whole
term. We began well and competed across all areas of the
field. Our defence held off some good Sandbach attacks,
with Hugh Wignall and Will Goodwin keeping the Sandbach
forwards at bay. In the midfield Alex Owen and Dom Ellis
were linking well with Ben Brookes, who was playing in a
free role just off Dan Thomas. We had some decent half
chances in the first half and with a bit more luck we could
have scored. Unfortunately Sandbach scored just before half
time and so we went in at half time 1-0 down. The second
half saw George Cave come on. Again we started well, with
some good attacking play from Cave down the right flank.
However, we couldn’t score and this proved to be our
downfall, as the half progressed we began to tire and this
allowed Sandbach to score two late goals, to make the final
score 3-0, a disappointing end to the game.
The next game was an away fixture at Wolverhampton
Grammar School. This was a tough encounter. We had 12
players in all, including some new players. From the outset
Wolverhampton were the better team and promptly scored
five goals in the first half; we didn’t play well and gifted them
some of these goals. Half time score 5-0 to Wolverhampton.
The second half saw us compete a bit more and attempt to
play some football. However, Wolverhampton were too
strong and scored three more goals. Well done to Ben
Brookes in this game, who didn’t stop running in the first half
when we were up against it. Final score 8-0 Wolverhampton.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The third game of the season saw us away at Kingsmead.
We had 14 players for this game. We began well. We were
attacking at every opportunity down the flanks with some
excellent work from George Cave and Sam Phillips. Our
midfield, Callum Booth and Alex Owen were competing well
and linking well with Sean Lomax up front. We always looked
like scoring and did so through Booth and this made the half
time score 1-0 to us. The second half saw us continuing to
play attacking football and we scored a second through Cave
to make it 2-0. Then the game changed, a dubious penalty
decision against Hugh Wignall brought the score to 2-1. Our
concentration went after this and Kingsmead got back into
the game and equalised. There were now 10 minutes of the
game left and both sides were tiring, which lead to gaps
appearing. Kingsmead took advantage of this and beat the
offside trap to score a third goal two minutes from the end.
This was how the game finished, a disappointing game to
lose, however definitely the best we had played so far this
term. Final score 3-2 Kingsmead.
Our next game was another away game, this time at
Denstone. Due to players pulling out at the last minute we
had just 11 players. The game was played in awful
conditions, wind and rain at times and a pitch so muddy the
players were sinking into it! We played fairly well in the first
half and attempted to play some passing football in awful
conditions. Either team could have scored but it was
Denstone who eventually scored the opener to make the half
time score 1-0 to them. For the second half we were a man
down due to injury and had to play with only 10 men. This
actually made us play better and we were the better team in
this half, playing some entertaining attacking football at
times. We scored an equaliser through George Cave and we
then should have gone on to win.
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Cave had another chance to make it 2-1, he had beaten the
keeper, shot for goal and the ball would have gone in had it
not stuck in the mud. A frustrating afternoon and a game we
should have won. Final score 1-1 draw.
The fifth game of the season was at home to Abbeygate. We
were again short of players due to last minute cry-offs and
subsequently had to borrow a couple of U15B players to
make up a team. We played poorly in the first half and were
4-0 down at half time. The second half actually saw us start
to play a bit more and we were the better team in the second
half, however we couldn’t score and this allowed Abbeygate
to score a fifth goal with the last kick of the game. A
disappointing game. Final score 5-0.
The last game of the season was at home to Stafford
Grammar school. Again we were short of players. We began
well and played some good football as did Stafford and good
work from our defensive unit of Hugh Wignall, Jamie
Whittles, Ben Seeney and James Sambrook-Jones kept
them at bay for long periods of the first half. In midfield Alex
Owen ran all day and harassed the opposition at every
opportunity. We didn’t look like conceding any goals,
however in the last 10 minutes of the half a couple of lapses
in concentration allowed Stafford to score two quick goals.
Half time score 2-0 Stafford. In the second half we were
disallowed a goal, their linesmen had not been watching to
see if the ball had crossed the line in a goal-mouth scramble,
Stafford players later said it had. This was a huge
disappointment for us as it could have seen us get back into
the game. Two minutes after this they scored their third goal
to make it 3-0. Our concentration went after this and we
never really got back into the game, subsequently Stafford
scored three more goals making the final score 6-0. A
disappointing end to the season.
Overall the team have developed well as the season
progressed and should have gained a lot of experience from
the games that they played. I wish them all the best for the
future and also wish to thank the players who regularly
played throughout the term, they know who they are. Also a
special thank you to Mr Tim Bongers for helping in the
coaching sessions and refereeing all the home games.
Squad from:
O.D.Brereton, B.Y.Brooks, R.C.W. Fletcher, W.J.Goodwin,
B.Lingard-Lane, S.G.Lomax, A.J.Owen, S.A.Phillips,
B.H.Seeney, H.E.Wignall, C.J.Booth, G.T.Cave, J.H.Cox,
D.C.Ellis, M.I.Hobbs, L.J.Ottaway, J.R.Sambrook-Jones,
D.D.R.Thomas, J.E.K.Whittles
ILR
Senior Football House Matches, March 2007
Lewis Wantling (Talbot) beats
Nick Evans ( Woodard)
Mark Pearson (Meynell) shapes to bend it past
keeper Adam Beech (Wakeman-Lambart
92
Old Ellesmerians Match
Ellesmere College 3 OEs 2
In a match played in near arctic conditions and with
hailstones blinding the referee, J.Morgan Esq, it was good
to hear the final whistle. However, despite the atrocious
weather it was an entertaining and at times comic match.
Charles Coates assembled a line-up of ageing, bulging and
(apparently) not quite sober players. Charles, who
captained the 1st Team, led his team well and kept up a
barrage of abuse (most of it deserved) for the referee. All
the OEs played a role of sorts. Hugh Adams, former Captain
of School and rugby dynamo, played an outstanding game
in defence and was probably the most reliable player on the
pitch. John Upton played well in midfield and up front
Jordan Halstead looked fit. The OEs actually took the lead
when Coates’ free kick was spilled by our keeper and
Jordan was on hand to force in the rebound. Meanwhile
somewhere out on the right wing Ollie Munday (or some
other ageing star, we can’t believe Ollie could have become
that slow in less than a year of leaving school) begged in
vain for any passes, although when they did come his way
he could usually be found to be running in the opposite
direction. The Barker brothers were living proof that there is
life after leaving school but just not life as we recognize it.
Ollie spent most of the time fetching the ball when it had
mysteriously passed him and gone out for another throw. In
goal Patrick made a few good saves before letting in the
winner, a header from Sam McElwee that slipped through
Patrick’s legs, although TV replays showed that the referee
was actually not watching the game at all but altering his
watch so there would be less time to play. James Edwards
and Cole Marley kept going for the OEs and Will Hockenhull
was involved in a lot of their attacks. Ollie Nevel showed
why his footballing career has never really flourished
outside Ellesmere. The second OE goal and equalizer came
from Ollie Barker who was unlucky later with another
chance. For the College, Freddie Nevel scored twice and
Rob Coates fitted in well in his first match for the 1sts. Most
of the players spent their time begging Mr.Morgan to end
the game which he finally did. He would have blown up
earlier but his lips had frozen solid. We all thank the OEs for
traveling and giving us a good game. We hope for better
weather next year.
HBO
Meynell hit Talbot on the break with Sam Phillips,
Josh Maddock-James and Josh Ford racing clear
of Talbot’s Will Bevan
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Girls’ Netball

This years’ netball term proved to be a challenging time for 1st Senior Netball
the girls at Ellesmere College. Due to the state of the courts,
all teams had to use the one court in the Sports Hall for most
Results
of the term. A great facility to have, but having around 80 – Opposition Result Score Player of Match
100 girls training in their squads at any one time was not the Telford College Lost 18 - 10 Katie Brereton
ideal situation. However, the girls remained highly motivated Oswestry School Lost 13 - 8 Tash Evans
and still wanted to get the most out of their teams. Telford College Lost 28 - 24 Chloe Mitchell
Despite all the setbacks of this term, there were lots of Shrewsbury 6th Form Lost 10 - 5 Sedge Beswick
positives to be taken from it. The College fielded 12 teams Rydal Lost 20 - 17 Abigail Merrill
altogether: 1sts, 2nds and 3rds at Senior level and A and B Shrewsbury High Drew 17 - 17 Beth Clewlow
teams at U14, U12 and U11. This meant 100-plus girls Squad:
represented Ellesmere at some point over the term. Sedge Beswick (Capt) Beth Clewlow (Vice Capt),
North Shropshire Tournaments were the highlight of the term Abigail Merrill, Sarah Haynes, Katie Brereton, Tash Evans,
for many of our teams. They are always hotly contested with Molly Dingwall, Natalie Forgrave, Emma Johnson,
around 10 schools around the County entering. Our U14s Gemma Evans
performed the best and beat The Corbet School in the Final
to become Champions. Our U12s, the most improved team, Even though the stats suggest we didn’t have a great
this term became runners-up and lost narrowly to Moreton season, this is untrue! The 1sts this year were a young team
Hall. Our 1st Team finished third in the U19 tournament and with only Abigail and Beth having played last year for the
U16s were fifth. 1sts. Many of the girls had to quickly get used to the faster
game at Senior level. This they did and many of the matches
The 1st Team were a new and young side, a group of
were even throughout and could have gone either way. In
talented girls who will use this year as a basis of
many we were unlucky and I believe we should have beaten
development for success next year. The team was captained
Rydal and Shrewsbury High. However, hopefully this was a
by Sedge Beswick. She led the way both in training and on
development year for many, and we will have a similar team
court in the matches. Her organisational skills should be
next year.
commended and she proved popular with the other girls.
This year our fixture list changed slightly and we decided to
I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the play more traditional netball-playing schools. We enjoyed a
netball this term. It wasn’t the easiest of terms but we got home and away fixture with Telford College. This match was
through it with success. They all put a considerable amount evenly-matched and with some of our 2nd Team players
of hard work into their teams. Thank you! Hopefully next playing for us on the away fixture we nearly beat them. I
year will be easier and now that the courts have been would like to thank several of the 2nd Team players who
resurfaced we will be able to enjoy another competitive played during the term – Chloe Mitchell, Steph Perrin and
season of netball. Grace Kendall. Thank you very much!
HLG HLG
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The highlight of the term for the girls is probably the
triangular tournament – 1sts Netball v 1sts Rugby v Staff.
In a very competitive tournament the 1sts Netball won,
beating the boys (who believe they lost on harsh umpiring)
and the staff. Playing against the girls on this occasion I
was pleased to see they played very well, and lots of the
strategies that had been drilled into them were finally been
used effectively! Well done!
The end-of-season meal was held at the Boat Inn and an
enjoyable night was had by all!
2nd Netball
As ever, the 2nd Seniors took their netball seriously and
worked very hard in training. The usual complication existed
where U16 fixtures were to be honoured, with members of
this squad making the team. Led superbly by Sarah-Jayne
Edwards as Captain and backed up by Chloe Mitchell, this
squad of very able players snapped at the heels of the 1st
Team all through the season.
The group gelled as a unit, and everyone communicated well
both on and off the court. On many occasions the 1st Team
were pressed very hard to play their best in training
sessions. The team were keen to add extra training into the
week to improve and this again is very much to their credit.
Laura Bernhofer and Chloe Mitchel improved in their play so
much throughout the season and should be given credit for
their performances in the Oswestry and Rydal Penrhos
matches.
However, no matter how committed the team and coach
94
Abigail Merrill received Player of the Season
Gemma Evans received both Most Improved Player and
Players’ Player
Full Colours were awarded to:
Gemma Evans, Sedge Beswick, Abigail Merrill
and Beth Clewlow
Half Colours were awarded to:
Katie Brereton, Sarah Haynes, Emma Johnson,
Molly Dingwall, Natalie Forgrave and Tash Evans.
HLG
were in preparing for match play - the loss of court space,
cancelled fixtures due to weather, plus schools pulling out
at the last minute, made it very difficult to keep the playing
momentum, and the performances were sporadic as a
result.
Nevertheless, this group of athletes were a pleasure to
work with and many will be missed when they leave, as
they led by example. Good luck to those girls in the Upper
Sixth who move on and I look forward to next season with
those of the squad who move up the school. I am confident
that those girls moving up to play next year will take up the
standards set by the girls in the Upper Sixth this year.
Squad:
Sarah-Jane Edwards ( Captain ), Chloe Mitchell, Sarah Lowe,
Nin Cooper, Tess Fawcett, Sophie Thomas, Grace Kendall,
Laura Bernhofer, Steph Perrin, Steph Platt, Ashley Whittle
SO

3rd Netball
This season the girls demonstrated a massive amount of
commitment and came on in leaps and bounds during the
term. There were several girls who had never even played
netball before making a really positive contribution. In the
one fixture we had against Old Swinford Hospital, although
the girls were not victorious on this occasion, they certainly
did themselves proud. At no stage did they give up against
a stronger team and, at times, actually took the game to the
opposition.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Ably led by Pippa Ricket, the team had several debutants
for the team, namely Zehra, Caroline and Garnet. Our
European contingent performed well and between them,
Zehra and Caroline scored all our goals. Worthy of
particularly mention too was Leonie, who, even though
wearing trainers two sizes too small, played as if her life
depended on it and really made a big difference to our
overall performance.
RJM
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Under 15 Netball
Results The team had a disappointing result against Dinas Bran
v Stafford Grammar School won 12-6 (16-22), with the score not reflecting their efforts and
v Dinas Bran lost 16-22 performance. Within the final quarter the girls lost their
composure, leading to basic errors and a loss. However, the
v Oswestry School won 20-6 loss against Shrewsbury High School was very close and
v Rydal Penrhos won 35-5 exciting, as Ellesmere took the lead early but allowed the
v Shrewsbury High School lost 14-16 opposition to equalise each time. Basic passing errors within
Ellesmere’s game in the final quarter allowed Shrewsbury to
gain the upper hand in the final minutes.
The U15 team had a good season, winning the majority of
their matches. They obtained an easy victory over Stafford Nevertheless the girls achieved good results, and were very
Grammar School (12-6), with Emily Wicks playing a unlucky not to accomplish an unbeaten season.
Captain’s match. Other good wins were achieved against Emily Wicks (Captain), Charlotte Lewis,
Oswestry School (20-6) and Rydal Penrhos (35-5). Ailsa Sophie Greensmith, Holly Liversage, Tania Renner,
Jackland’s shooting and Holly Liversage’s defending were Chloe Minshaw, Zoe Haynes, Ailsa Jackland, Becky Britton
key components in these victories. HLG

96

U14 Season Summary
Results
v Stafford Grammar School
v Dinas Bran
v Oswestry School
v Shrewsbury High School
v Rydal Penrhos
North Shropshire Tournament
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The U14s had an excellent season,
winning all matches but one, and
becoming North Shropshire
Champions. Throughout the season
the team dominated their matches,
with dangerous advance in attack
and quick interceptions in defence.
The season started with Stafford
Grammar School. Having several
skills needing development, the team
still obtained a comfortable victory
winning 13-8.
E xcelle nt defending b y Luc y
Harrington and Viola Grosvenor, and
superb shooting by Lucy Forgrave
and Zoe Evans, ensured the sizeable
victory in the next two matches. The
team beat Dinas Bran 16-3 and
Oswestry School 16-5; however, with
closer marking, the lead could have
been extended further in both
matches.
Ellesmere started slowly against a
very able Shrewsbury High School
team and missed several scoring
opportunities. Towards the closing
minutes, they managed to reduce the
score deficit, but were unlucky to
equalise within the remaining time,
and lost 10-15.
won 13-8 Ellesmere started slowly against a
won 16-3 very able Shrewsbury High School
won 16-5 team and missed several scoring
lost 10-15 opportunities. Towards the closing
won 19-15 minutes, they managed to reduce the
score deficit, but were unlucky to
– winners
equalise within the remaining time,
and lost 10-15.
Regardless of the loss it was still a
very good score, and the girls went
into their last game of the season
optimistically. Although it appeared a
close victory beating Rydal Penrhos
19-15, the team were not playing to
their full potential. They allowed the
opposition to catch up every time
they took the lead; however, as the
final minutes approached, Captain
Emily Lewis made sure that they
maintained their strong unity.
The team finished their season by
winning the North Shropshire
Tournament. The matches were very
exciting to watch and performed at a
very high standard. Opponents
included Sir John Talbot (won 5-0),
Marches (won 7-2), Moreton Hall
(semi-final won 4-2) and Corbet (final
won 5-3).
Emily Lewis (Captain),
Lucy Harrington,
Viola Grosvenor,
Stephanie Newport-Booth,
Lydia Lam, Sophie Halstead,
Zoe Evans, Lucy Forgrave,
Mel Evans, Carys Fieldhouse
AP
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Double Champions North Shropshire Rounders Tournaments

The U14s had an outstanding season, winning both the
North Shropshire Netball and Hockey Tournaments.
Following an excellent netball season came an exciting and
nail-biting tournament. Ellesmere warmed up nicely in their
first 2 games, defeating Sir John Talbot 5-0 and Marches 7-
2. However, they started slowly against Corbet, resulting in
a tighter match. Ellesmere acquired a goal deficit, but
picked up their game to dominate the second half. The
team nearly equalised, but were unlucky not to do so and
lost marginally (5-6).
During the semi-final round they met Moreton Hall, who
scored the first 2 goals in the opening minutes.
However, Captain Emily Lewis motivated her team to turn
the game around.
They worked cohesively as a unit and applied pressure
throughout, forcing Moreton to make mistakes. Important
defensive interceptions by Viola Grosvenor and Lucy
Harrington initiated the attacking play, and first-class
shooting by Zoe Evans and Lucy Forgrave resulted in a 4-2
victory.
In the final, Ellesmere faced Corbet for the second time, but
this time the girls were keen to take the lead. Every time
the team scored a goal, they were rallied to score another.
They were assertive in regaining possession, and
exceptional defending linked with precise shooting resulted
in an exciting Final and a great win for Ellesmere.
AP
The U14 team reached the semi-final, beating teams such
as Marches, Oswestry School and Grove. Zoe Evans
worked consistently throughout, asserting her dominance
as a key player in the field. The Final against Moreton Hall
was exhilarating as Ellesmere raised their game to lay to
a professional standard. Tactical bowling led to excellent
catches in the deep, and exceptional diving catches at slip
from Carys Fieldhouse. The team were unlucky not to win
but gave their opponents the most demanding match of
the day.
Unfortunately, both U12 and U13 tournaments were
postponed due to bad weather. The U13s defeated strong
opponents such as Moreton Hall, Sir John Talbot and
Marches, with Joanne Bowen claiming top batsman and
Sarah Wicks best fielder. The team played exceptionally
well throughout and although they had only played 3 games
they had already obtained enough points to win their group
and reach the Final.
Similarly the U12s team easily won all 3 of their matches
against Lakelands, Thomas Adams and Corbet. They won
their group table with a game in hand and thus would have
proceeded to the Final. Harriet and Olivia Jones batted and
fielded extremely well throughout, and Captain Katy
Leicester motivated her team to victory.
AP

Hockey Champions
Following the girl’s undefeated Hockey season, they
entered the North Shropshire Hockey Tournament with high
expectations of winning. The team worked hard in the first
three games; ensuring plentiful goals, beating Marches 3-0,
Grove 2-0, and Lakelands 4-0. Captain Zoe Evans, Emily
Lewis and Viola Grosvenor were key players in ensuring a
high work -rate throughout all matches. They allowed
Ellesmere to break down any opposing advancement and
dominate the play throughout the centre of the pitch.
The next match, against Oswestry School, resulted in a 1-0
victory. Regardless of maintaining possession in the
Oswestry half throughout the game, and countless penalty
corners, Ellesmere were unlucky not to score several more
goals. However, the girls were saving themselves for the
next match against their toughest opponents, Moreton Hall.
Again Ellesmere dominated with most of the possession,
with Stephanie Newport-Booth and Sophie Halstead
making rapidly direct advancements at the Moreton goal.
Moreton also had opportunities to score, but the Ellesmere
defence intercepted well, keeping the score 1-0. Yr 7 and 8 girls enjoying themselves at the
With their Double Champions title emerging, the girls went North Shropshire Rounders Tournament despite the rain
into their last game confidently, and a comfortable 3-0 win
against SJT ensured that they won the tournament 7 points
clear. Ellesmere were the only team to win all their matches
in the tournament, which resulted in a perfect ending to
their undefeated season.
AP

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Summer Term
Cricket

1st XI Cricket Report 2007

Team (from): A.H. Whittle* (Captain), P.M. Daborn*, June 29th MCC – no play rain
M.J. Burrows+, G. Forgrave+, K. Nagpal+, L.S. Wantling+,
J. Bartlett, T.J. Courage, H. McElwee, T.R. Davies, A. Khan, July 2nd Bloxham – played as 20-over match
J.M. Maddock-James, A.J.Wantling. See limited overs results
* 1st XI Colours + Half Colours
Results: July 3rd Worksop 119 – 1 (A Wantling 1-49)
Played 6 Won 3 Lost 2 Drawn 1 Abandoned 5 Ellesmere
Rain - match abandoned as a draw
May 5th Liverpool – no play
May 12th Birkenhead 266 - 8 (M Burrows 2-41) July 4th Hurtspierpoint – no play rain
Ellesmere 64 all out (M Burrows 18)
Lost by 202 runs July 6th Gents of Shropshire 102 all out
May 19 th
Ellesmere 49 all out (M Burrows 11) (Forgrave 6-21)
Wrekin 51 - 3 (Forgrave 2-8) Ellesmere 103 -3 (M Burrows 60*)
Lost by 7 wkts Won by 7 wkts
May 20th Old Ellesmerians 231 - 8 dec (Daborn 2-51) Senior Batting Cup:
Ellesmere 232 - 4 (Whittle 65, L Wantling 65, M J Burrows 166 runs
Daborn 44*)
Senior Bowling Cup:
Won by 6 wkts
G Forgrave 10 wickets
June 9th Ellesmere 209 - 6 dec (M Burrows 77,
Senior House match:
L Wantling 42)
Woodard
Rydal 150 all out (M Burrows 5-25)
Won by 59 runs Junior House match:
Meynell
June 16th Newcastle-under-Lyme – no play rain

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The best performance of the season was in the final

match against the Gentlemen of Shropshire. It took
place on the last Friday of term, shortly after the team
had returned early from a rain-ruined festival at
Bloxham. The pitch was green and still quite damp,
and favoured the seam bowlers. With the Gents of
Shropshire batting first Jack Bartlett and George
Forgrave used the early conditions expertly, swinging
the ball to good effect, and after 9 overs the Gents
were 17-3 having lost their top 3 Shropshire League
players, including the Oswestry professional Warwick
Fynn. After the opening bowlers were replaced the
bowling, especially from Peter Daborn, remained tight
but the Gents were able to progress to 83-4 by lunch.
Bartlett and Forgrave were not brought back into the
attack until immediately after lunch, when Bartlett
dismissed top-scorer Gough for 41 and then Forgrave
mopped up the tail, finishing with 6-21 to bowl the
Gents out for just 102.
Saturday June 16th - another wet Saturday!
Warwick Fynn then proceeded to bowl unchanged at
one end for the Gents, while Ellesmere chased down The weather made the season very difficult, but the senior
the target. The new ball again swung prodigiously and Alex batsmen generally failed to match pre-season expectations.
Whittle, the Captain, was caught behind without scoring. The only 2 batsmen to make progress during the season
Lewis Wantling followed but had stayed long enough to see were Matthew Burrows and Lewis Wantling, otherwise a
the shine off the new ball, although Peter Daborn was lack of concentration at crucial times often led to
dismissed for 0 to leave Ellesmere on 30-3. Earlier in the unnecessary dismissals. The 2 Indians Khasagra Nagpal
season at critical moments in the game the middle-order and Adnan Khan worked hard to cope with especially
batting had collapsed, but this time Matthew Burrows was difficult English conditions, but never found batting easy,
joined by Joshua Maddock-James, still an U15 player. although Nagpal was able to demonstrate his ability as
There was plenty of time to score the runs and both players wicketkeeper to good effect and Adnan scored a fine half-
made sure that they first played themselves in, especially century for the 2nd XI.
ensuring that Fynn did not make any further breakthroughs,
before eventually taking control and winning the game The seam bowling might have been expected to prosper in
without further loss. a season dominated by wet wickets, and indeed George
Forgrave did take 10 wickets at only 13 apiece. Peter
The rest of the season will largely be remembered for the Daborn bowled steadily without penetration, Jack Bartlett
rain that seemed to fall every day with 5 matches also bowled well showing the merits of good line and
abandoned. Between May 21st and the match against the length, but elsewhere the bowlers who were all capable of
Gents on July 6 th only one all-day match was played! At
producing good spells often relaxed the pressure by
the Bloxham festival the match on the first day was reduced
bowling too many wides and no-balls. One of the problems
to a 20-over match late in the afternoon and the following
seems to be that, as players progress through the school,
day only 23 overs were bowled in the match against
matches are rarely longer than 30 overs and often shorter.
Worksop before torrential rain ended play. The teams
Bowlers bowl short spells and often arrive at the 1st XI
departed early on the third day as there was no prospect of
without having developed their action into a steady groove
any play.
through the regular habit of bowling in matches. It is
The XI won 2 other matches during the season. They had therefore becoming increasingly important that players
a comfortable victory over Rydal Penrhos, when Matthew expecting to bowl in Senior cricket spend time developing
Burrows had an outstanding game by first scoring 77 and their action in the nets during the winter, so that they can
then bowling a fine spell to finish off the Rydal innings with bowl more than one spell in the longer matches that are
5-25. An excellent run chase against the Old Ellesmerians, played at this level.
who had scored 231-8, was set up by a fine opening
partnership of 154 by Alex Whittle and Lewis Wantling who The 2007 team was a young side, and although they were
each scored 65. Peter Daborn then added 44 not out to see restricted by the weather to a limited number of matches,
Ellesmere to a convincing 6-wicket victory. all played in difficult conditions. Nine of the team who
played against the Gentlemen of Shropshire return next
However, there were also two very heavy defeats, one
year. They have seen what is required to be successful, but
against Birkenhead and the other against Wrekin. In each
bowlers will be punished if they bowl short and wide, while
case the batsmen were unable to deal with one bowler on
cameo innings of 20 or 30 from the batsmen are not
the day. Against Wrekin the South African Snyman came
sufficient to build match- winning totals.
on to bowl with the score at 23-1 and took 5 wickets for just
5 runs in 7 overs, 4 of which were bowled with yorkers. My thanks go to Chris Morrison for umpiring all our
Against Birkenhead the week before Ellesmere seemed to matches during the term, to Ian Morris and his ground staff
be comfortably placed at 44-2, with rain forcing an early tea for their work preparing grounds both for practice and
and seemingly an early end to the match. However, the rain matches often to see them then unused, and of course to
stopped, play resumed, and Hurst took 4 wickets for 3 runs Colin Cawcutt for all his hard work with the team.
in just 4 overs as the side collapsed to 64 all out. PJH
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1st XI Cricket Averages 2007 1st XI Cricket Averages 2007

All day matches Limited overs matches
Batting Batting
Name Inns n.o. Runs h.s. 50 Average Name Inns n.o. Runs h.s. Average
Burrows M 4 1 166 77 2 55.33 Burrows M 5 2 81 25 27.00
Wantling L 4 0 125 65 1 31.25 Wantling L 5 1 87 31 21.75
Courage 4 2 46 17* 23.00 Whittle 4 0 77 39 19.25
Whittle 5 0 102 65 1 20.40 Wantling A 2 1 14 7* 14.00
Daborn 5 1 56 44* 14.00 Courage 2 0 21 19 10.50
Nagpal 3 1 16 13* 8.00 Maddock-James 2 0 18 18 9.00
Forgrave 4 1 16 15* 5.33 Nagpal 3 0 23 18 7.67
Davies T 3 0 14 9 4.67 Davies T 3 0 14 14 7.00
Daborn 4 0 14 12 3.50
Also batted: Maddock-James 2, 24* Brereton 3 Forgrave 4 1 8 6* 2.67
Wantling A 0, 0, Crispin 0 Also batted: Khan 10, Brereton 14, Bartlett 8, Burrows T 2,
Fieldhouse 0, Khan 0, Matthews 0* Fieldhouse 6*, Crispin 0*, McElwee 0*,
Anders-Richards 0*
Bowling Bowling
O M R W BB Average O M R W BB Av Runs/Over
Forgrave 39.1 7 134 10 6-21 13.40 Burrows M 6 0 32 3 2-13 10.66 5.33
Burrows M 30 4 106 7 5-25 15.14 Brereton 5.4 0 46 3 2-33 15.33 8.11
Bartlett 25 6 72 3 2-20 24.00 Daborn 22 0 124 7 2-18 17.71 5.63
Daborn 43 4 179 5 2-20 35.80 Wantling A. 12 0 110 5 4-28 22.00 9.16
Courage 6 0 79 3 3-37 26.33 13.16
Also bowled: Wantling A 27-1-138-2, Courage 11-0-72-2 Bartlett 14 1 57 2 2-25 28.50 4.07
Brereton 4-0-27-2, Whittle 12-0-81-1 Forgrave 21 1 131 4 1-25 32.75 6.23
Fieldhouse 5-0-41-0, Khan 3-0-25-0
Also bowled: Wantling L 2.2-0-29-0, Crispin 6-1-32-1,
Fielding - catches Maddock-James 3-0-34-0, Whittle 9-0-89-1
Nagpal 3 + 2st Fielding - catches
Daborn, Davies T, Forgrave 3, Courage, Maddock-James, Nagpal 3 + 3st, Wantling A 4, Courage, Forgrave, Whittle 2
Wantling A, Wantling L, Whittle A 1 Bartlett, Maddock-James, McElwee, Wantling L 1

Harry McElwee looking to attack

‘Studied Defence’
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Limited-Over Report 2007

National Twenty/20 Tournament 2007
Ellesmere were drawn in the first round of this competition Whittle was soon dismissed and Lewis Wantling and
with Merchant Taylors’ Crosby, Cockermouth and Matthew Burrows could only take the score to 30 by the end
Huddersfield New College. This “local” area group caused a of the 5th over.
fixture headache with travel times to Huddersfield of 2 hours
and to Cockermouth of at least 3 hours. Fortunately Cockermouth 148 - 7 (Courage 3-37)
Cockermouth kindly agreed to travel down overnight to play Ellesmere 30 - 1 (5 overs) (L. Wantling 15*)
on Friday May 11th at Ellesmere. Ellesmere travelled to Lost on run rate
Merchant Taylors’ Crosby to play one match on Tuesday (Ellesmere innings reduced to 5 overs – target 38)
evening as Ellesmere unlike the other 3 schools, could not Evening match v Huddersfield New College
play all their matches in one day. In order to complete the matches on the day a bowl-out was
Tuesday May 8th v Merchant Taylors’ Crosby held in the Sports Hall to determine the winner between
Merchant Taylors’ started at a brisk rate which was Ellesmere and Huddersfield. The first Huddersfield bowler hit
maintained throughout their innings, but were helped by a the stumps and then Alex Whittle immediately hit back to
generous supply of 21 wides and 8 no-balls. Alex Wantling level the score at 1-1. Huddersfield then missed with their
bowled well in his first appearance, bowling their top scorer next 5 bowlers; frustratingly Ellesmere also missed the next
for 42 with his second ball. In reply Alex Whittle (39) and 5 in a tense atmosphere, although 2 of the attempts were
Lewis Wantling (16) made a good start scoring 31 off the first very close, before Huddersfield eventually won 2-1.
5 overs, but the middle order collapsed with only Khasagra (Huddersfield won 2-1 on bowl out)
Nagpal (18) and Matthew Burrows (21) making significant
contributions. The match finished in near darkness, but with Other limited-overs matches played:
the white ball it was possible to complete the overs. Wed April 25th (30 over match)
Adam’s Newport 234 - 3 (Forgrave 1-38)
Merchant Taylors’ Crosby 173 all out (19.4 overs) Ellesmere 106 - 7 (Whittle 25)
(A. Wantling 4-28) Lost by 128 runs
Ellesmere 143 all out (20 overs) (Whittle 39)
Lost by 30 runs Fri Jun 15th (20 over match)
th
Friday May 11 v Cockermouth , Afternoon match: Ellesmere 91 - 9 (M Burrows 25)
Peter Daborn and Ewan Crispin bowled well at the start of Ravens 95 - 4 (M Burrows 2-13, Daborn 2-25)
the innings to restrict Cockermouth to 36-2 off 8 overs. Lost by 6 wkts
However, as against Merchant Taylors’ too many wides (20)
Mon July 2nd (20 over match)
were bowled, allowing Cockermouth to recover and post a
This match was played on the first afternoon of the festival after
challenging total. After one over of the Ellesmere innings,
the full day match was abandoned in the morning due to rain.
with the score 2-0, rain forced the players off the field. It was
Bloxham 130 - 9 (Daborn 2-18, Bartlett 2-25)
eventually decided that it would not be possible for
Cockermouth to bowl the remaining overs, and in order to Ellesmere 94 - 5 (L. Wantling 31)
complete the match 4 overs were bowled in heavy rain with Lost by 36 runs
Ellesmere requiring 38 to win. PJH
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2nd XI Cricket Report 2007

Played Won Lost Additionally, anyone who played well could expect to win
5 3 2 promotion to the 1st XI. The term started with a loss on the
first Wednesday after one practice, when the batting order
Opponents:
was not yet sorted out. After that the team generally batted
Adams Grammar: Ellesmere 85 Adams 83-3 well in the conditions prevailing on the day of each match,
Lost by 7 wickets until the final game, when the Year 11 Prom affected most
Brereton 22 players for the worse. Pitches were hardest in the early
weeks and scores became progressively lower in later
Wrekin 3rds: Ellesmere 170-8 Wrekin 152
Won by 18 runs matches. All fixtures were played in the overs format of the
Brereton 104 Khan 5-16 game to ensure a positive result.
Fergusson 26 Of the main batsmen, G Brereton and T Davies won
promotion to the 1st XI, with the former averaging 63 for the
King’s Chester: Ellesmere 184-9 King’s 176-9 2nd XI with his elegant stroke play, and the latter 16 with his
Won by 8 runs powerful hitting. Bowlers E Crispin and A Khan, who also
Davies T. 53 Khan 4-24 went to the 1st XI, were useful with the bat and Khan was
Khan 50* Gorman 4-32 never dismissed whilst playing in the 2nd Team. His 50 not
Fergusson 30 out at Chester contained some finely-judged shots behind
Birkenhead: Ellesmere 95 Birkenhead 92-8 the wicket and some powerful drives in its latter stages. C
Won by 3 runs Fergusson was the only batsman to turn out in all 5matches.
A watchful and cautious player in the early part of an innings,
Bartlett J 23 Beech 4- 30 he averaged 11 over the season.
Wrekin: Ellesmere 42 Wrekin 44-1 Of the bowlers Khan was the most consistent wicket taker
Lost by 9 wickets
and he was relatively economical at 4 an over. In his 2
matches J Bartlett was very hostile and economical without
Those that played:
Anders-Richards D, Bartlett J, Beech A, Brereton G, capturing a wicket. His 5 overs against Birkenhead cost only
Butt C, Claxton, Corran S, Crispin E, Davies T, 6 runs. All of the other bowlers were capable of doing
enough with the ball to foment uncertainty in the minds of
Evans N, Fergusson C, Gorman P, Grosvenor H, Hart J,
opposition batsmen, and therefore few found it easy to score
Khan A, Liptrot J, Lomax S, Walton H, Wright W.
runs. Our excellent fielding was also instrumental in this,
It is not easy to identify the main strengths and weaknesses typified by the tidy work of H Grosvenor behind the stumps.
of the 2nd XI this year, as at times teams were picked to suit D Anders-Richards was a good deputy with the gloves when
the expected strength of the opposition, and with the purpose called upon. W Wright captained the team with a mature
of giving as many from the squad as possible some cricket. blend of encouragement and good humour that produced an
Inevitably some plans went awry, and the weather prevented enjoyable season for the coach.
a number of fixtures being played. GH
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Under 15A Cricket 2007

Fixtures and results With Wrekin chasing 177 to win, the Ellesmere bowling
needed to be a good line and length and fielding needed to
Ellesmere v Wrekin Ellesmere won by 2 runs be well-planned and flexible to both conditions and balance
Liverpool v Ellesmere Opposition cancelled of the match. Some heroic fielding at times really kept the
pressure on the Wrekin batsmen and they struggled to cope
Birkenhead v Ellesmere Rained off with the difficult task of scoring against such a strong outfield
Ellesmere v Kings Chester Lost by 52 runs of players. The balance of the game was on a knife-edge all
Rydal v Ellesmere Lost by 22 runs the way through the last 10 overs and with 1 over left, Wrekin
Ellesmere v Newcastle Rained off needed 7 runs to win but with only 1 wicket in hand. James
Cole was given the responsibility with the ball, and with 2
Ellesmere v Shrewsbury Rained off balls left the opposition needed 3 to win. James Cole then
This season has been a learning curve for the team but one produced 2 fabulous well-pitched deliveries; the first one
which has seen some real development, not only individually going through to keeper Harry McElwee and the last ball
but also collectively as the team has grown together. The moving away from the batsmen, they decided to go for a run
team has some obvious individual talent but this has often but Harry stayed calm and knocked the bails off to run, the
player out and give victory to Ellesmere by 2 runs.
been sporadic and thus the team performance has not been
as consistent as it should. The weather has played a huge
part in the season, and the loss of several key games Highlights of the bowling:
resulted in the team not being able to build a solid Anderson 1—25 off 6 Courbourgh 0 - 13 off 6
momentum as the season progressed. Some highlight were Cole 3 - 22 off 6 Killick 2 - 23 off 4
as follows:
A great first game and one which promised much for the
Ellesmere 15A v Wrekin
upcoming season.
Ellesmere 176 – 9 off 30 overs Wrekin 174 all out
Ellesmere won by 2 runs The next 2 fixtures in the calendar were lost for 2 very differ-
ent reasons. The Liverpool College fixture was called off as
The first game of the season saw a keen Ellesmere team Liverpool could not get the staff to run the teams on this
take on an already well-practiced and match-fit Wrekin team. Bank Holiday weekend; clearly the commitment of staff does
Freddie Anderson, captaining the team this season, lost his not match that of Ellesmere. The following week the fixture
first toss and Ellesmere were put into bat. against Birkenhead was touch and go for most of the week
and the call came through just before the team were due to
After the loss of an early wicket, Harry McElwee being arrive. No game for 2 weeks made the team anxious for the
brilliantly caught one-handed, the team settled down and next game and it was even more eagerly anticipated as it
worked on creating a score to test the opposition. was our rivals down the A483, King’s Chester.
Highlights of the batting were: Ellesmere v King’s Chester (20 overs)
Sam Davies 39, J Maddock James 34,
King’s 142 - 3 Ellesmere 90 - 7
A Courbrough 15, M Bielby 14 n.o., A Sesay 14
Ellesmere lost by 52 runs.
104

Finally a cricket match was on but within a minute of the
King’s batsmen making their way to the square the heavens
opened and the covers were quickly put back on. After a
downpour for 20 minutes the skies cleared and play could
finally get under way.
The outfield was wet and this affected the early pace of
Freddie Anderson but some amazing fielding by James Cole
saw King’s lose their first wicket within the first over and the
opposition were 8-1. It is at this stage I was hoping that the
team would keep the pressure on the batsmen and force
more errors, but sadly Ellesmere gave the game back to
King’s. The opposition lost only 2 more wickets, one when
the score was on 64 and the next on 112. This was down to
some loose bowling, a trend which seemed to stick with the
U15s this season.
Highlights of the bowling:
Bielby 20-1 off 3, Cole 31-1 off 4
With a score of 143 to win, the Ellesmere team knew that
there were plenty of runs in the wicket if they were patient
but punished the bad balls. The key was the running
between the wickets and the pressure the batsmen could put
on the bowling side, especially the fielders. However, within
the first over, Harry McElwee, a player capable of wining the
match for us single-handedly, hit a strong drive but decided
to jog to the other end rather than sprint. This cost him
dearly and he was run out by a great throw by the opposition
fielder. In came Andy Coubrough but within 6 balls he was
making his way back after being bowled by playing all round
a straight delivery. Francis Killick went out next and did a
sterling job of securing the batting. He was at the crease for
over 9 overs and he scored 23 not out. Unfortunately Sam
Davies went for 7, James Cole & Ahmad Sesay for 0.
Captain Freddie Anderson came in to score quickly and hit
18 in 9 balls but was stumped. The real highlight was Joe
Dapling who came into bat with 10 ball left and scored an
unbeaten 24. The game was lost, and the team realized that
they had lost the game due to their own errors and
performance rather than that of the opposition.
Highlights of the batting:
J Dapling 24 not out, F Killick 23 not out
Ellesmere v Rydal
Ellesmere 143-7
Rydal 165-7
Ellesmere lost by 22 runs
The next game saw Ellesmere make the trip up the A55 to
visit Rydal. A glorious Summer morning, which is something I
have not been able to say more than once in this report,
welcomed us as Wrekin won the toss and elected to field.
This was probably the best we bowled this season, when,
however, the ball was landing on the strip!! With the
exception of the Rydal Captain who scored a solid 69 runs, 6
of the Rydal batsmen were out for less than 12 runs.
However the bowling of several players was very loose and
this resulted in giving Rydal 53 extras during the 25-over
game. A huge amount of extras, which would ultimately cost
us any match.
Highlights of the bowling:
Bielby 24-3 off 3, Cole 34-4 off 5, McElwee 17-1 off 5
With a total of 166 to win Ellesmere set about the task in
hand. Harry McElwee dealt well with the openers and went
on to score a decent 33, but again the wicket was lost due to
his own impatience for runs rather than playing each ball at a
time.
Ellesmere then had a England-style mid-order collapse as
the next 5 wickets fell for only 23 runs. Sean Lomax, a Year
9 player, stepped into the lower order and knocked a very
good 21 in 13 balls, but the finish line was just too far off.
David Anders-Richards also scored a good knock but sadly
Ellesmere ran out of overs.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Highlights of the batting:
H McElwee 33
S Lomax 21
D Anders-Richards 23 not out
The irony in this game was that at the end of 25 overs both
Rydal and Ellesmere had scored 112 off the bat. The
difference was the extras and this is an awful way to lose a
game. However if a team bowls 53 extras it should not really
expect to win matches.
The team and each player need to take a close look at
themselves and ask if they gave their best this season; and I
hope they would be honest in their assessment. This is the
first year I have run the 15A squad that for every game there
has been a struggle to get players, and this is down to a lack
of commitment on the part of several players in the squad.
The other factor this season has been the lack of effort by
certain players during net sessions. It is here that players
hone their skills, both batting and bowling, and the effort put
into practice has a clear impact on the performance on
match days. I hope some of the bowling team take this
advice on board and work harder than they have this year if
they are to improve.
A huge thank you to Sean Lomax of Year 9, who although he
was playing a year ahead of himself made a valuable
addition to the team. It has been a season of highs and lows
but has ultimately been a season of discovery for much of
the team. Freddie Anderson and Harry McElwee , both
selected to take part in the Cricket Festival this Summer,
have been stalwarts of the team and should be looking to
push themselves further next season if they wish to
challenge for a 1st XI place. Andy Coubrough and James
Cole show much potential but must learn to be more
disciplined when they are up against a strong bowling team.
If they learn to play more defensively when required then
there is no reason why each cannot hit 50s in every innings
they play. The rest of the team needs to continue to work off-
season and must develop a more mature approach to the
game, both in the preparation and delivery of the batting and
bowling. There is potential but it has yet to be fully harnessed.
SBM
U15B Cricket – Summer 2007
Poor weather and match cancellations meant that the Under
15 B team had a very short season this year, but there was
still time to introduce new talent to the team; George Brown
proved to be a bludgeoning batsman and Martin Jones was a
speedy and accurate fielder.
Captain James Walker led the team into battle against
Birkenhead School at the end of May. Good batting
performances from Walker and fellow opener Sean Johnson
led Ellesmere to a score which Birkenhead were unable to
match; they fell fifty runs short as their innings imploded.
A match against Corbet School was thrown away in
undisciplined play, and the management was left deeply
unimpressed! The following day, a game against Thomas
Adams School brought the team up against a very fast
opening bowler; despite his best – and excellent – efforts,
Ellesmere managed to post an opening stand of forty-seven,
thanks to debutants Ben Brooks and Joe Davies. Sadly, the
Ellesmere total proved inadequate and the match was lost by
six wickets.
The final match was a local derby against Lakelands School;
a must-win game for Ellesmere. Things were going very well
for Ellesmere at first, with a fifty-five run opening stand. From
there, a clatter of wickets took the score to 65-6 and things
looked alarming. Steady batting took the Ellesmere total to
120-8 and this proved enough to win.
It is hoped that some of the new players will still feel they
want to turn out when the summer comes along next year;
there will be places for them in House Cricket and the
occasional seconds and thirds games.
DWC
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Under 14A Cricket 2007
Playing record (all limited-overs matches)
Ellesmere 143 for 8 Wrekin 141 for 3
Won by 2 runs
Birkenhead 134 for 6 Ellesmere 104 all out
Lost by 30 runs
King’s Chester 154 for 2 Ellesmere 34 all out
Lost by 129 runs
Rydal 146 all out Ellesmere 147 for 5
Won by 5 wickets
The U14A side had a somewhat weather-curtailed season
and yet deserve much credit for squaring up their record
against other schools – 2 wins and 2 defeats was a decent
effort from a squad with plenty of bowling options but limited
batting resources.
The season opened with a match of impeccable drama.
Opener Joseph Davies carried his bat, holding the innings
together with an unbeaten 62. The next top scorer was
extras (40) and after that Ollie Brereton with 12. The extras
proved crucial as Wrekin chased 143 off 25 overs; they
required 16 from the final over and ended up needing 3 from
the last ball but made only a single. A last-ball victory to
begin the season was thus achieved.
Against Birkenhead, in a game reduced to 20 overs, it was
Ellesmere that handed victory to the opposition by giving
away innumerable wides and no-balls – 32 extras in a total of
132. This left us a mountain to climb and wickets were
thrown away in the pursuit – only Sam Phillips with 47
maintained any resistance. Eight men were caught out,
which tells its own story. The following week was worse still
– the first 9 Ellesmere wickets at King’s Chester were all
bowled, albeit on a wicket of very low bounce, but one on
which King’s men had looked in little trouble. Ellesmere
were rolled over for 35 – the highest scorer making 4 runs. It
was much to the team’s credit, then, that they bounced back
to beat Rydal playing good all-round cricket. On the all-
round theme, credit to Ollie Brereton who started as wicket-
keeper, whipped off his pads to bowl and then opened the
batting, scoring 24 to set us on the path to victory. Sam
Phillips blasted his way to 73 not out. Job done.
106
Ben Brooks captained the team, opened the bowling with
his fast in-swingers, grew more adept at field placings as
the season progressed and began to get into his stride with
the bat. Joseph Davies worried incessantly about all
aspects of his game, but opened the batting and learned to
bowl a wicket-taking length. Ollie Brereton at times batted
with effortless timing and frequently got off to a good start
without ever going on to the big innings he was clearly
capable of building. He could also be relied upon to bowl
at the drop of a hat. Alex Owen took nets seriously,
struggled for runs, but bowled consistently good leg-
spinners. Callum Booth grew into an opening batsman
adept at occupying the crease. Sam Phillips weighed in
with two big innings but will have been disappointed that
his fast left-armers did not reap the wickets he might have
expected. Iwan Phillips was a tidy wicket-keeper; he and
brother Bryn looked good in the nets but struggled for runs
out on the square. Jake Taylor was the only middle-order
batsman who stayed around for any length of time on a
regular basis. Antony Wyn-Jones came into the side,
essentially as a cheery old-fashioned slogger, adopting a
similar attitude with the bat to Sean Lomax. Ben Lingard-
Lane bowled with a remarkable action and all of his huge
frame, frightening batsmen, wicket-keeper and occasionally
slip fielders alike. George Cave was a dependable,
economical bowler and Hugh Wignall was an essential part
of the A Team as well as a successful B Team Captain.
TFB
U14B Cricket Report 2007
It was good to see that the U14B squad of players were
enthusiastic about their cricket. There were many disciplined
coaching sessions with players arriving early and staying late
if time allowed. Players worked hard to improve their
technique, both in the nets and on the square.
As a result, the couple of games played all resulted in
comfortable victories with a number of players making good
contributions to the side’s success. Also, a number of players
progressed into the A side during the season, which was
pleasing to see.
I would like to take this opportunity to say that the squad was
a pleasure to coach which resulted in an enjoyable season
for all.
GO
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Tennis
2007 was a great year for Ellesmere
tennis teams who won U13 Boys’
and Girls’ singles, U13 Boys’ and
Girls’ doubles, U15 Girls’ doubles,
U19 Boys’ doubles as well as
runners-up in U15 Girls’ singles
competitions.
Keep up the good work.
Aberdare Cup
This year the Girls’ Aberdare Cup
teams were mainly comprised of our
new Tennis Academy scholars. The
team was ably led by Girls’ Tennis
Captain Steff Perrin. The 2nd Team
lost to Moreton Hall in the second
round in a well- fought match. The
1st Team won their way through to
the Area finals, losing only to
Shrewsbury High on the last and
very long match. It was a rare hot
Summer’s day and our team were
up against older players but fought
to the end. The final score of 3-3
shows how determined our young
girls were, but sadly we had lost
more games overall. Well done to
all our girls.
U13 Girls
Our teams were unbeaten, barely
losing a set in any school tie. The
U13 British Schools team won the County division losing only
7 games out of 79 played in total. The girls are looking
forward to winning one more match to gain a place in the
Regionals at Corby in November.
The squad comprised: Joanne Bowen, Hannah Clarke, Olivia
Jones, Harriet Jones, Emily Sutcliffe, Kate Norman, Kate
Parry, Chloe Prydden, Grace Tomlinson and Francine
McSalley-Parsons.
U13 Boys
In the U13 British Schools Tournament our team played very
well. Led by Academy scholar Christian Cieslik, we won all
matches except a very hard match against Thomas Telford,
who proved to be a little too strong on the day. A great team
spirit was created with these boys, who enjoyed both home
and away fixtures. Joining our 4 Year 8 pupils we welcomed
2 Year 7 boys, Mark McBrien and Xavier Dodds, who are
both promising young players in the squad. Well done.
Squad: Christian Cieslik, Harrison Gwilt, Jack Brewitt, Adam
Brahim, Mark McBrien and Xavier Dodds.

U13 Boys & Girls Squad

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The 6th Reffell Open Tennis Academy

As usual the Reffell Open took place on the last night of the
Summer term. Remarkably the weather was good and the
tennis even better. This year we were graced by the
presence of David Reffell himself, partnering Abi Merrill.
The format involves a pupil being paired up with an adult.
This year we had a record 14 pairs and therefore the
league which sees all the North pairs play all the South
pairs involved 7 rounds, and each player was guaranteed
28 games.
As organiser each year I am bribed, blackmailed and
threatened before the tournament to provide strong
partnerships. Sly females offer to make me cups of coffee,
angry French teachers threaten to kick me next time we
play football. Fortunately a random computer picks the
pairings.
This year saw some great partnerships. Phil Hook and
Katie Brereton made unlikely quarter-finalists, as did Tom
Bohn and Laura Mansfield. Other past winners were under
early pressure. Sharon Owen, Defending Champion, went
out in the first round as did Helen Goss and Alex Dunn.
Wiz Wright was also a first-round loser! Meanwhile the
serious pairings were beginning to warm up. James King
and Jennifer Sampson powered their way past opponents
as did Charles Cooper, although understandably he felt let
down ultimately by his partner Nikki Hoy! Beth Clewlow,
who obviously must have done something dreadful in a
former life, was paired with the ever-rusty Chatterjee.
Chatterjee has yet to get past the first round. So be good
girls or you might just get him as your partner next year!
Eventually we came to the semi-finals where Boys’ Tennis
Captain Rob Simms and OE Steph Oekin outplayed their
opponents, whilst in the other Steph Perrin and Jonny
Morgan played James King and Jenny Sampson. At 2
games all and deuce, James’ huge serve was just too fast
to be called in or out, and the deciding point was replayed
with Perrin and Morgan coming out on top.
The Final, played in the twilight, saw Perrin and Morgan
triumph. Later Morgan admitted he had been in secret
training for this event on a special diet of Welsh lamb, pina
coladas and popodoms. However, he skillfully managed
the brilliant but occasionally temperamental Perrin.
As usual fish and chips, Pimms and beer finished off a
great night.
The seed of the idea for a Tennis Academy at Ellesmere
was sown by Barbara Goolden some years ago. This year
sees that seed bursting into life. With re-surfaced courts,
dedicated coaches and keen players the Academy is set to
produce a crop of outstanding young players.
The Academy draws its raw material from scholars locally,
nationally and overseas as well as nurturing talent from
within the existing school intake. Scholarships for aspiring
young players are available and are awarded on an
individual basis.
The tennis programme is designed to encompass all
aspects of the players’ game and includes specialist input
for nutritional, physical and psychological development as
well as development of on-court skills through individual
and team coaching. We also enhance our programme with
regular visits to the nearby Wrexham Tennis Centre which
is one of only 11 high performance centres for tennis
nationwide.
Competition on a school and individual basis is strongly
promoted for all pupils in the Academy. To this end we
enter the Aberdare Cup, British Schools Leagues and U19
school leagues. Entry to Individual competitions are
likewise encouraged and many of our Academy pupils
represent their Counties at tennis.
To further encourage variety in the tennis programme we
go on expeditions each term to challenge teams from
further afield. This encourages self-reliance and team spirit,
and gives a chance to play different players and to
experience a little of life on tour! This term our expedition
takes us to Torquay and Taunton, where we will play two
separate tennis academies.
In summary the Academy is aiming to be instrumental in
creating future tennis champions at all levels and offering
the resources to achieve this.
NH

Tennis Scholars

Girls’ Tennis Results

Wed 2nd May
1sts v King’s, Chester in the Aberdare Cup Won 4 - 0
We now qualify to the Regional Finals.

Sat 5th May

1sts/2nds/3rds v Moreton Hall
Very close matches. 1sts won 5 games to 4
2nds lost 4 games to 5
3rds lost 4 games to 5.

Mon 7th May

U13 British Schools v Moreton Hall Won 4 - 0

Back Row:
Harrison Gwilt, Christian Cieslik, Jo Bowen & Hannah Clarke
Front Row: Olivia Jones, Emily Sutcliffe, Harriet Jones
108

Shooting
Target Shooting 2006/7
We suffered a roller-coaster year, beginning with record
numbers of shooters, and within 1 month of term starting
we had consumed 10,000 rounds of .22 ammunition. A
350% increase. However our success was to be our
undoing. A routine inspection of the range by the Army
Medical Division revealed lead in air levels which were
borderline, especially for the staff who were on the range
for many hours. The inspection outcome further illustrated
that our facility had fallen behind the latest range
specification and needed an upgrade. Accordingly the
indoor range was closed pending a deep clean and a much
needed upgrade. This was a huge blow to College shooters
and we had to withdraw from all our competitions. Winter is
not the time to use our outdoor range though we did try to
keep up interest with the occasional shoot in better
weather, but as our rugby colleagues will know Parry’s
Field can be very cold!!
Delays frustrated us and with our Lower School shooters
we started a Virtual League on the Eurosimulator website
which offers target shooting simulations. It is a very good
trainer for Juniors and a lot of fun even if it is almost
impossible to score 100 x 100. I had offered a prize air rifle
to anyone who could achieve a maximum and Freya West
gave me palpitations when from nowhere she came in and
shot a 98 followed by two 99s the last one being 9 straight
10s followed by a last shot 9. The league itself was won by
Ryan Williams for Years 7/8 and by Carmen Edwards for
Years 5/6.
Matthew Steggles and Guy Cooper shooting
at Wales and GB Squad training session,
Henley-in-Arden
Matthew Steggles and Henry Cureton shooting at NSRA Championships, Bisley
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The range deep clean was completed by the start of the
Lent Term and at last we could use it for Air Rifle shooting.
It is said that dark clouds can have silver linings and this
was certainly the case. From out of the College woodwork
came a pool of talent for standing 10m Air Rifle. It is a
difficult Olympic discipline requiring much practice, but the
talent uncovered was remarkable. Notable names were
Jacob Roberts, then in Y5, who started so well that within 6
weeks he had joined the Welsh Air Rifle Squad. Ryan
Williams, Sarah Richardson and Vicky Von Hoven (all Y8)
showed great promise. Of course our established National
Squad Shooters Richard Belcher Andrew Main, Matthew
Steggles and Guy Cooper were already familiar with 10m
Air Rifle. Nevertheless it was encouraging to see that
another shooting discipline has huge potential at the
College. The question is how do we take it forward? The
range closure really affected our very successful Y9
shooters who virtually lost a whole year; we must try our
best to get them back on track. Our Two GB Squad
Shooters Richard Belcher and Andrew Main, continued
good progress with the squad attending most of the
sessions, and were due to shoot in the Bisley Junior
International in the Summer. Wales Squad members Ryan
Williams, Jacob Roberts and Matt Steggles had a more
patchy programme but we hope they will do well next
season.
At the end of the year Colours were awarded for Air Rifle to
Ryan Williams and Jacob Roberts. Matthew Steggles was
appointed Captain of Shooting for the College and Richard
Belcher was appointed Captain of Junior Shooting. The sad
news was that Mrs Claire Clewlow who had been assisting
with the shooting announced that she was leaving College
for pastures new at the end of the year. However, in
contrast, the really good news is that our range will be back
in operation by the start of the new College year and with
Mrs Anne Hendricksen and Mrs Julie Chattergee keen to
assist our shooters, I anticipate a very successful year
starting with the NSRA Championships in August.
JQ, Shooting Coach
THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

HOUSE SPORT
House Rugby Junior House Hockey
As with the Seniors, there were some very competitive
Senior Winners matches. The girls had to work very hard as it was a six-a-
Meynell side on a full pitch. The girls never gave up all afternoon. The
attitude and skill on the day was extremely pleasing and it
Inter Winners was a very enjoyable afternoon of hockey.
Talbot
Results:
Junior Winners Meynell 0-0 Talbot
Meynell Woodard 0-0 Wakeman-Lambart
Overall Winners Meynell 3-1 Wakeman-Lambart
Meynell Woodard 1-2 Talbot
Meynell 2-0 Woodard
Talbot 1-0 Wakeman-Lambart
This year’s tournament provided an outstanding display of 1st – Meynell 12pts (on more goals scored)
Rugby. The standard of play was exceptionally high, 2nd – Talbot 12pts
testament to the current strength of rugby throughout the rd
3 = Wakeman-Lambert 2pts (Same goal difference)
school.
3rd = Woodard 2pts
In the Juniors Meynell were very strong and after beating
Talbot they overcame a spirited Woodard team in the final. Overall Positions
The Inter Competition was a very tight affair, and the final 1st Talbot 21pts
went to the wire. In the end Talbot proved too strong and 2nd Meynell 16pts
rd
ran out 10 - 5 winners. 3 = Wakeman-Lambart 8pts
In the Senior Competition the final was one of the best 3rd = Woodard 8pts
House matches for many a year. Meynell looked to be HLG
cruising to a comfortable win 19 - 0 up at half time. Talbot
then staged a dramatic comeback; scoring three tries to House Football
bring the match level at 19 - 19. The tackling was ferocious The House football competition again reflected the rising
and no quarter given, but Talbot with their tails up surged standards in this sport with all four houses producing well
into the lead with a try under the posts. Unfortunately the organised teams. This resulted in a close competition and a
conversion was missed and so with a couple of minutes left pleasing spectacle.
there was still a chance for Meynell. Winning the ball they
Senior winners were Meynell
drove down the field to recycle and spin the ball out wide to
Man of the tournament went to Matthew Burrows of
go over in the corner. With a minute left Danny Matthews
Wakeman-Lambart.
put the drop kick conversion over from the touch line to
secure the match. From the final kick off Meynell moved the Other performances of note came from:
ball sweetly to secure another try on the final whistle. Final Alex Dunn, James Farrell and Mark Pearson.
score Meynell 31 Talbot 24. The Junior tournament was also won by Meynell.
PAG Performances of note came from:
Charlie Clutton and Josh Maddock-James.
The Lower School winners were Brownlow, with Phillips a
close second. This was an excellent competition. Players to
Girls’ House Hockey watch for in Senior School next year are:
The House Hockey Competition reflected the success of Christian Cieslik, Hugh Clutton andJack Brewitt.
this year’s hockey season and many commented on the Finally I would like to thank all the staff involved in coaching
good standard of hockey that was being played. The Senior football and refereeing and all those who have supported our
competition was very close. Despite the lack of goals there teams this year.
were some highly competitive matches. Well done to all DJM
teams!

Senior House Hockey Senior House Netball

Results: The House Netball Competitions are always played in
Meynell 0-0 Wakeman-Lambart excellent spirit and this year was no different. The weather
was perfect with playing conditions being the best they had
Talbot 1-0 Meynell been all term.
Woodard 0-0 Talbot This year, the senior competition was fierce and the closest
Wakeman-Lambart 0-0 Meynell ever with 3 teams all ending on 2 wins and 1 loss. So the
Talbot 0-0 Wakeman-Lambert final result went on goals for, and the eventual winners were
Meynell 0-0 Woodard Woodard who scored 3 more goals than second place
Meynell.
1st - Talbot 9 pts An excellent afternoon of netball from all four House teams.
2nd = Wakeman 6pts, Woodard 6pts Well done!
4th - Meynell 4pts HLG

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Senior House Golf Senior School House Volleyball

Sixteen players, and a number of caddies, took part in the This year saw the reintroduction of the House Volleyball
Senior House Golf Championship on Wednesday 9th May. competition. The event was played in the Summer term
Despite the drizzly weather the play was of a good standard and produced some very exciting matches. The format
and highly competitive. of the competition required Houses to produce a mixed
The lowest round for the day was scored by Rhodri
gender team to do battle in a round robin competition.
Fieldhouse, 35 for Meynell, with Abigail Merrill (Talbot) and
Talbot and Wakeman-Lambart showed form early in the
Mark Pearson (Meynell) both scoring 39.
completion, but Woodard rallied and produced two good
Scores results against Meynell and Wakeman, however in the
end Talbots 3-0 win over Wakeman proved the decisive
Group Talbot Woodard Meynell Wakeman victory.

1 H. Hackett 50 A. Ellis 51 H. Walton 46 G. Forgrave 42 Overall results

st
1 Talbot 8pts
2 A. Merrill 39 J. Webb 49 M. Pearson 39 J. McBrien 41
2nd Woodard 7pts
3 S. Davies 49 M. Tatchell 48 J. Thomas 48 F. Herzog 60
3rd Meynell 5pts
4th Wakeman-Lambart 4pts
4 J. Cole 43 S. McElwee 59 R. Fieldhouse 35 B. Patterson 85

Total 181 207 168 228

Overall Result
1st Meynell
2nd Talbot
Senior School House Athletics
3rd Woodard This year’s event took place in glorious sunny conditions.
4th Wakeman-Lambart The competition was exciting yet the sportsmanship which
was shown by all involved was extremely commendable. In
Junior House Golf Year 9 & 10 the Junior event Wakeman-Lambart took the honours with
On a blustery afternoon in mid-June 16 intrepid golfers with some fine performances from Sophie Halstead and Oliver
caddies in tow braved the conditions to contest the Junior Dodds. The Victrix Ludorum was won by Lucy Forgrave
House Golf Challenge. The format was a scratch score another Wakeman-Lambart team member. Martin Jones of
contest with the highest round of the team of four being
Talbot won the Victor Ludorum in the Boys’ event.
discounted. The lowest round of the day was posted by
Anthony Wyn-Jones (Meynell) a respectable 44 in the In the Intermediate competition Wakeman-Lambart also
conditions. James Cole (Talbot) scored 45. took the honours. With Amy Cooper (W/L) winning the
The final scores Victrix Ludorum and Euan Crispin (Talbot) winning the
Positions Victor Ludorum.
1st Talbot In the Senior event Woodard claimed 1st Place with Molly
2nd Meynell Dingwall (Woodard) winning the Victrix Ludorum and
3rd Woodard Stephen Bannister (Meynell) winning the Victor Ludorum.
4th Wakeman-Lambart The Senior positions hung in the balance leading into the
last event the Senior 4 x 400m. In the last change over
Wakeman/ Jamie Tyrer (Talbot) took the baton in the lead with Meynell
Meynell Talbot Woodard
Lambart
in 2nd place. An error in the Meynell change-over afforded
44 46 56 54 Talbot a considerable lead. If Meynell could finish first they
46 49 56 50 would win the Senior event. Stephen Bannister chased
down Jamie and closed the gap but Talbot crossed the line
53 45 48 55 first with only meters to spare, which concluded the 2007
Total 143 140 160 159 athletics. Overall winners were Wakeman-Lambart who
have managed to break the hold that Meynell
House had on the Trophy over the last few
years.
Many thanks must be given to all who took
part, the support of the Operations’ Team and
all the teachers who adjudicated on the day.
ILW

Freddie Anderson, Freddie Herzog & James Gould

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Sports Day
BOYS RESULTS
TIME/ TIME/ TIME/
EVENT SENIOR INTER JUNIOR
DISTANCE DISTANCE DISTANCE
100m S. Bannister 11.54 B. Patterson 12.03 M. Jones 12.50

200m S. Bannister 24.06 B. Patterson 25.69 M. Jones 27.30

400m N. Thomas 58.70 B. Mitchell 1.02.84 G. Tachell 1.03.65

800m J. Bartlett 2.18.57 C. Ferguson 2.28.50 T. Blake 2.15.78

1500m M. Burrows 5.07.22 R. Dell 5.13 J. Leahy 5.32

HIGH JUMP Ndunussa 1.62 E. Crispin 1.56 J. Walker 1.40

LONG JUMP J. Bartlett 5.29 J. Norman 4.55 M. Bielby 4.35

TRIPLE JUMP J. Steggles 10.92 E. Crispin 10.19 F. Anderson 10.06

SHOT J. King 12.38 J. Thomas 10.74 O. Dodds 9.92

DISCUS B. Morris 25.26 A. Porter 25.70 G. Billborough 20.53

JAVELIN T. Bohn 35.09 T. Davies 37.4 O. Dodds 24.92

Wakeman-
4 X 400M Talbot 4.04.59 4.24 -
Lambart
Wakeman-
4 X 100M Meynell 49.18 51.25 Meynell 52.72
Lambart

Victor Winner S. Bannister Meynell E. Crispin Talbot M. Jones Talbot

GIRLS RESULTS
S. Newport-
100m E. Clewlow 14.47 G. Kendall 14.03 14.94
Booth
200m E. Clewlow 30.90 E. Johnson 34.21 S. Halstead 30.04

800m M. Dingwall 2.59 C. Minshaw n/r C. Fieldhouse 3.07

1500m M. Dingwall 6.22.19 L.Lam n/r E. Walker 6.52.18

HIGH JUMP L. Brereton 1.27 A. Cooper 1.22 H. Liversage 1.25

LONG JUMP L. Bernhoffer 3.56 T. Evans 3.24 L. Foregrave 3.36

TRIPLE JUMP S. Haynes 7.75 A. Cooper 6.81 L. Foregrave 7.76

SHOT K. Salzberger 7.62 G. Kendall 7.02 Z. Evans 6.48

DISCUS K. Salzberger 17.52 E. Boffey 12.43 V. Leadbetter 15.65

JAVELIN S. Thom 15.85 A. Whittle 14.26 C. Shearer 11.05

Wakeman- Wakeman-
4 X 100M 1.03.59 Talbot 1.04.12 1.02.40
Lambart Lambart

Victrix Winner M. Dingwall Woodard A. Cooper Wakeman L. Foregrave Wakeman

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Senior School House Athletics Results

Meynell Wakeman-Lambart Talbot Woodard

Total Junior Score 185 218 181 159

Total Junior Position 2 1 3 4

Total Inter Score 165 241 210 162

Total Inter Position 3 1 2 4

Total Senior Score 211 169 187 216

Total Senior Position 2 4 3 1

Meynell Wakeman-Lambart Talbot Woodard

Overall Score 561 628 578 537

Final Position 3 1 2 4

House Cross Country Inter House Sailing Regatta

On a beautiful crisp winter afternoon 120 students took part
in the Annual House Cross Country event. This year’s relay Bosun Topper
HOUSE
race was made all that more exciting by the entry of a strong (team of two) (single hander)
staff team. Meynell Seniors won the race after it was noted
Wakeman Helm Charles Cooper *
that the staff team did not include a lady runner! In the main Jed Denham
-Lambart Crew Charles Pickering
races Ashley Hicklin and Zoe Haynes won the Junior Event,
Toby Blake and Georgie Adams won the Inter Event and Helm Richard Greensmith * Jamie
Matthew Burrows and Molly Dingwall won the Senior Event. Woodard
Crew Alex Deller Cartwright
The spirit and enthusiasm that was shown by all competitors
was excellent and the event was finally won overall by Helm Toby Dell *
Wakeman-Lambart House. Talbot Peter Heath
Crew Henry Fletcher-Brewer
ILW
Helm Andreas Wacker *
Results 2007 Meynell James Haigh
Crew Jonathon Steggles
M Wo W-L T
Junior Race *Captains of each crew
Points 4 2 6 8 The weather once again was not favourable as it rained, but
Replay pts 4 2 1 3 there was a good wind and the teams did extremely well,
negotiating 3 times around a triangular course.
Total 8 4 7 11
The honours this year go to:
Position 2 4 3 1
Wakeman-Lambart, Woodard, Meynell and finally Talbot.
DJB
Inter Race
Points 2 6 8 4
Replay pts 4 1 3 2
Total 6 7 11 6
Position 2= 4 1 2=

Senior Race
points 6 4 8 2
replay pts 4 1 2 3
Total 10 5 10 5 Charles Cooper
& Charles Pickering
Position 1= 4= 1= 4=

Overall

Points 24 16 28 22 Racing for the Finish;

Positions 2 4 1 3
Alex Deller, Richard Greensmith,
Jamie Cartwright & James Haigh
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Lower School
Speech Day 2007
The brain is a wonderful thing - it never stops functioning
from the time you’re born until the moment you stand up
to make a speech! The US President Theodore Roosevelt
was once asked how long it took him to prepare one of his
speeches. His reply was that it depended on the length of
speech required; for a half-hour speech, two to three
days, for five minutes, a week and if he had to speak for
two hours he could begin immediately! You will be
pleased to hear that it took me most of half term to
prepare this speech!
A year ago I sat here as Mr. Price welcomed me to the
College. During the course of proceedings I wondered
what I had let myself in for. After the past year I feel that I
am a little wiser. There are many different activities that
make a school such as this successful. First and
foremost, and I make no apology for this, is hard work -
we have just seen evidence of that in the prizes that have
been awarded. But hard work is not just confined to the
classroom. Without hard work, dedication, preparation
and enthusiasm we would not have had: a fantastic
production of James and the Giant Peach; Jo Bowen,
Hannah Clarke, Harriet Jones, Olivia Jones, Emily Sutcliffe
James & The Giant Peach
Grace Tomlinson, Luke Taylor & Paige Rudd
and Christian Cieslik all representing the College 1st
Team (yes, the first team with the Year 13s) at tennis; just
over 80% of the boys here representing the school at
rugby (though it must be said one or two weren’t that keen
on the idea at the time!); 80% of the children entered into
the Primary Maths Challenge achieving Bronze, Silver or
Gold certificates; Richard Belcher and Andrew Main
training with the Great Britain squad for shooting and
Jacob Roberts, Ryan Williams and Guy Cooper training
with the Welsh squad, despite all the difficulties that we
have had with the range this year; the superb musical
performances at the Carol Service, various concerts and
festivals, Luke Taylor’s first place at the Chester Festival
and the magnificent Choir. I am sure Andrew Lloyd
Webber knows his stuff and got the right Joseph, but I
think he got the wrong choir!
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Salters Festival Runners-up
Huw Lilliard-Williams, Freya West, Ryan Morley
& William Mapstone
Nor would we have had the team of William Mapstone, Huw
Liddiard-Williams, Freya West and Ryan Morley coming
second, out of some thirty schools, in the Salters Chemistry
Festival at Liverpool University.; or Sarah Wicks, Alex Fearn,
Sam Owen and Joel Maddock-James representing Counties
at hockey and cricket; or, out of 92 English Speaking Board
exam candidates this term, 75% passing with either
Distinction or Merit Plus. And these are only some of the
things that have been crammed into the past three terms.
None would be possible, however, without the hard work and
dedication of all the College staff who give so much to make
the pupils’ lives richer. I would like to join you in thanking all
of them, but in particular Mrs Hendriksen, Mrs Allen, Miss
Gunther and Miss Williams (soon to be Mrs John), who are
moving to tutor in other parts of the College, and Mrs Evans
for filling in this term.
English Speaking Board Exam Pupils
with their “talk topics”
Tom Price, Declan Roberts, Emma Greville,
& Annabelle Martin-Jones
They say that behind every man is a great woman and a
surprised mother-in-law. In my case it’s about nine women!
My wife; my secretary Mrs. Hitchen, who has been a
fountain of knowledge and wisdom this year; and my
deputy Mrs. Morgan. An article in The Daily Telegraph
rather unfortunately quoted a Headteacher from his
school’s Parent Teacher Association’s Annual General
Meeting as saying: ‘As Head of the School, I am of course
the shepherd of the flock; I see our Deputy Head as the
little crook on the staff.’
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Out & About

Mrs. Morgan is no crook - more like a crutch at times! The
remaining females are the group of Year 8 girls, led by Jenny
Griffiths, who have been unstinting in their efforts to raise
money for charities this year. Through their hard work and
ideas, Children in Need benefited to the tune of some £400
and both Macmillan Nurses and Comic Relief were also
supported. I have told Mrs Cowan that she will not want for
enthusiasm and help in St Aidan’s over the next 3 years.
I would like to conclude with a true story, but will have to
apologise to the children as they will have heard it before in
an assembly. However, they will have forgotten it as the
majority were distracted by a dendrocopos major. Which is,
of course, a woodpecker, which was busy feeding on one of
the perches outside Lower School, for which I must thank
Mrs. Allen and her Green Team, who help us all to
appreciate our wonderful surroundings. Anyway, the story:
Around the inside of the great dome in St. Paul’s Cathedral
in London is a balcony called The Whispering Gallery - so
called because the sound of someone’s whisper bounces
back from the smooth walls of the dome. Just over a hundred
years ago, in this dome, a poor shoemaker whispered to his
girlfriend that he didn’t have enough money to buy leather to
make shoes and so didn’t have enough money for them to
get married. On the other side of the gallery someone heard
their whispers and decided to help. He followed the
shoemaker from a distance to find out where he lived and
then he paid for some leather and arranged for it to be sent
anonymously to the shoemaker’s shop. Everything went well
because the shoemaker was then able to marry.
It was a few years later that they found out who it was who
had helped them. It was the then Prime Minister, William
Gladstone.
As everyone enjoys the long break that lies ahead of us, I
hope that you all, but especially those moving on from The
Lower School, bear in mind that most of us won’t become
well-known or be written about because of great things that
we have done or through so-called reality television
programmes, but we will be known for our attitude and the
smaller, ordinary things that we do, that make our part of the
world a better place.
Science Museum
This year we went to the Museum of Science and Industry
in Manchester. We first went to see the Doctor Who
section which was filled with the new series’ costumes, set
designs and layouts. We even heard the cry of the deadly
Daleks, “Exterminate”. We looked around and saw all the
terrifying monsters looking back at us. We then carried on
and went to the steam section in the other building, where
we saw all sorts of different engines; big, small and huge.
This was followed by a visit to the exhibition hall on flight.
There were plenty of airplanes to look at, but it was not
very interactive. We then visited the train section which
showed long-ago trains and tracks. We then had a half an
hour break for lunch, outdoors, with all the pigeons. This
was followed by an interactive lecture on science, with
plenty of exploding gases and other exciting experiments.
After that we went to the Victorian section, which was full
of tunnels and included displays on water purification and
the Victorians’ greatest achievement – the sewers! Inside
was a life-like tunnel, we went past graveyards (not real)
and were told about the unfortunate events which can
happen if you are trapped or die in a tunnel. We then went
into the bubbly gases section where we saw the different
uses gases can be put to. Later on we went into the silk
room. In there we saw an unbelievable jacket which was
made out of dandelion hairs. Our final part of the day was
reserved for an interactive exhibition at the top of the
museum. There were loads of experiments to have a go
at, but the highlight for some was the view onto the
Coronation Street set at Granada Studios where filming
was taking place. The journey ended with us going to the
buses. Thank you to the teachers for organising last year’s
Year 7 trip.
Georgina Ottaway

Lower School Prize Winners 2007

4M M. Perkins P. Liley
5J G. Bruce G. Stackhouse
5P W. Doerr S. Jackson
M. Macliam-Roberts
6P J. Pegg P. Nelhans
6T J. Bellamy S. Sheldon
7N M. McBrien F. Liley
7E J. Paul L. Bostock-Williams
7S B. Lyttle K. Parry
7W S. Carr L. Allsop
8N J. Griffiths J. Brockless
8E C. Riggs M. Kelly
8S F. West R. Morley
8W V. von Hoven W. Jackson
Most Commendations: V. von Hoven
Captains of Lower School: R. Morley
J. Griffiths
WJH Heidi Caldecott & Georgina Ottaway

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In and Around
Primary Maths Challenge

The Successful Mathematicians

Following their participation in the the Primary Maths
Challenge Year 6 pupils, Peter Nelhans and Ioan Parry-Jones, Production of Nesting Boxes
were both successful in achieving Gold Certificates. Silver Simon Swannell, Ben Britton & Charles Coppinger
Certificates were achieved by Hannah Rogers, Declan
Roberts, Craig Tattersall, Cameron Beswick, Sam Fearn,
Tom Price, Emma Greville, all in Year 6, as well as Georgia
Bruce and William Doerr in Year 5.
There were also a number of Bronze Certificates awarded and
in Year 6 they were achieved by: Hayden Edge-
Roberts, Amber Cauchi, Amelia Morris and Harvey Rickett, as
well as Milli Macliam-Roberts, Patrick O’Brien, Sara Jackson,
Guy Hunter and Jacob Roberts in Year 5.
HJW

Green Team Sponsored Silence raised money for albatrosses

Mark McBrien & Kate Norman

Collette Riggs

Archery
This activity has just started at Ellesmere College
with Mr Brooke and Mr Davies instructing our
youngsters in the ways of Sherwood Forest and
Robin Hood. Presently we have some natural
firers even though they have only been using the
bows for a couple of weeks. They are hoping to
extend Archery in the Senior School next term. Open Morning, October 2006
DJB Mrs Clewlow, Akela demonstrating how to make a reef knot
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 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Coin Art Project in aid of Children in Need

Visit from a Roman Soldier

Huw Roberts, Georgina Stackhouse
& Georgina Edwards

Head Girl & Boy, Jenny Griffiths and Ryan Morley

presenting a cheque from the proceeds of the
Lent Term Non-Uniform Day to Elodie Homes,
Fundraising Manager, Macmillan Cancer Support

Geography prize winners

Izaak Nyss, Sarah Carr & Bethany Lyttle

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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
Lower School Music
Age Concern Christmas Concert
Festive music rang out from Ellesmere Town Hall when the
Lower School Choir, Orchestra and String Group
entertained the Day Centre regulars and residents of local
sheltered housing schemes. Over 40 musicians from Lower
School performed a lively programme of modern and
traditional Christmas music. This ranged from instrumental
renditions of Rudolff and The Snowman Suite to
wholehearted singing of O Little Town of Bethlehem and
Once in Royal David’s City.
The choir songs which particularly captured the audience’s
imagination were Johnson’s Midnight and Wilson’s Shake,
Rattle and Roll. The former tells the point of view of the
three wise men – a unique and refreshing perspective!
Many pupils performed individually: John Paul (cello), Kate
Parry and Georgina Ottaway (piano), Sarah Richardson
and Jenny Griffiths (vocal), Luke Taylor, Collette Riggs and
Bethan Porter (violin) and Lauren Gough (flute). Even
Father Christmas took time from his busy schedule to make
a surprise appearance and conduct the raffle. The Day
Centre organiser Joan Tudor and other committed
hardworking volunteers were delighted with the turnout and
success of the event which raised almost £300.
A big WELL DONE to all involved.
Age Concern Concert, December 2006
The Lower School musicians, having already sung at
the Parents’ Society Christmas Tree lighting, went on
to perform in our prestigious Lower School Carol
Service, our final Chapel service and The Salvation
Army’s Annual Christmas Carol Service, and
entertained residents of Dolywern Cheshire Homes.
It’s surprising that pupils had any energy left at the
end of the Michaelmas term – I suspect the extra-
large tin of chocolates, kindly given by one of their
appreciative audiences, helped!
Lower School Choir at the Christmas Tree Lighting
Marcus Bruce, Kate Parry, Sarah Richardson & Ben Kelly
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Refreshed after the Christmas break, pupils returned to the
new school year with the Oswestry Music Festival as their
first goal to prepare music for. After previous success,
stakes were high and it was crucial for our Choir and String
Group to put together polished performances. Musical
competitions are an emotional experience. The
apprehension, excitement and determination before and
during a performance can result in either elation or
disappointment – a decision left in one or more judges’
hands. Although the Choir did not retain their winning
crown this year, they came a close second out of 10 choirs,
one point behind the winners. We were delighted with the
encouraging comments from the judges and particularly
pleased that the Choir had been graded ‘outstanding’ for
the second year running. The String Group (Luke Taylor,
Collette Riggs, Bethan Porter, Kate Parry and Ben Britton,
an honorary member on the bongo drums) were awarded
‘Commended’ for their performance. We were also proud
of our individual soloists from Lower School; John Paul,
Emma Greville, Lauren Gough, Bryony Webster, and Luke
Taylor, who achieved 1st place in the string solo. Well
done to all.
In the Lent Lower School Music Concert, pupils took their
audience on a musical journey. The Choir encouraged
listeners to jump on the train as they sang and imitated
train movements to McNally’s Engine. The theme of
transport continued with the AA’s famous TV
advertisement You’ve got a friend. The String Group,
Orchestra and soloists then continued the musical
journey to various parts of the world playing music
from Africa, America, France and Russia. Prokofiev’s
fairytale story of Peter and the Wolf told by the
orchestra certainly captured the audience’s
imagination. The Choir finally transported the
audience back home with one of their favourite pieces,
Chattanooga Choo Choo.
The Summer term saw the launch of the BBC’s ‘Any
Dream will Do Search for a Choir Competition’. This
entailed putting together a performance of a medley of
songs from the musical Joseph in 10 days which could
be viewed on the Internet for voting. The pupils
involved showed great determination and enthusiasm.
If you saw the clip you will understand why we were
very proud of their commitment to this project.
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Lower School Choir - Joseph Competition

The Joseph Choir

Megan Perkins, Ellie Halstead
Jenny Pegg, Amber Cauchi
Jessica Martin-Jones Sophie Sheldon
Hannah Rogers Olivia Jones,
Marcus Bruce Harriet Jones
Elliot Wray Annabelle Martin-Jones
Georgia Bruce Craig Tattersall
Jessica Bellamy Emma Greville
Milli Macliam Roberts Amelia Morris

We inserted this piece of prose alongside our video clip on
the Internet:
Hello, we are Ellesmere College Junior Choir
Our rendition of Joseph we hope you’ll admire
We’re passionate and enthusiastic about our song
(Please bear in mind we’ve not had long)
Please vote for us our best we’ll guarantee.
For you we’ll sing whole-heartedly on national TV!
What enthusiasm this competition generated. We had great
support throughout the whole school – thank you to all who
took the time to listen and vote.
Other notable events of the year included:
17th March National Festival of Music for Youth
24th May Upper and Lower School joined forces in the
final Summer Concert
25th May Mass choir performance of ‘Panis Angelians’ in
the School Commeration Service.
A big thank you to all who have supported the pupils in
their music making. Special thanks to Mrs Blake and Mrs
Forester in their work with the String Group and Orchestra
and to our Director of Music, Mr Paul, for his all-round
energy and encouragement.
Our Year 8 musicians - Jenny Griffiths, Ben Kelly,
Katherine Neary, Sarah Richardson, Freya West, Collette
Riggs, Vicky von Hoven and Huw Liddiard Williams – have
made a most valuable contribution to the music of the
school, leading by example in their enthusiasm and
commitment. As they move on to Middle School we wish
them future success.
BJ

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Lower School Art

Year 7 Group Work

Jenny Pegg
, Year 6

James Fisher
, Year 8

Year 8
apstone,
William M

Year 5 Group W
ork son, Year 8
William Jack

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Lower School Sport

Michaelmas Term We then visited old rivals Denstone, and although we played
the better rugby lost to the size and pace of one of their
Boys’ Rugby players who was unstoppable from broken play. We kept the
game tight but the opposition killed a lot of good ball and
Under 13 were rarely penalised for it.
This season was always going to be difficult. The majority of
our fixtures were away and we opened with the only team we
had lost to last year, Sandbach. The game was by no way a
classic and very little rugby was played. In the end their size
and speed made the difference. A week of hard training saw
a more structured team travel to Bedstone. Captain Jack
Baxter lead by example and vocally kept his team focussed
for the whole game.

Rhys Williams a good prospect for next year.

Our game with local rivals was a great game

to watch unless you happened to be me.
Packwood played their usual flowing rugby
and we were still on the bus for the first half.
At half time we trailed 15-5. The second half
was all ours and Baxter scored once again.
Clutton converted to make the score 15-12
Rugby Results 2006 but time was running out. The home team was
now looking ragged and it looked like we had
earned a kickable penalty but the Packwood
forwards were given the benefit of the doubt.
Birkenhead are a decent side but the game
was a dour affair. We were well-beaten and
rarely strung anything together without the
whistle been blown.
Results A trip away to Prestfelde provided a real nail-biter with
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against some excellent flowing rugby being played by both sides.
11 6 0 5 229 203 The home side led twice and looked as if they were going
Sandbach Lost 0 34 to earn a win thanks to some heroic tackling by their full
back. In the final minute some good hands finally opened
Bedstone College Won 48 10
up their defence and we went over in the corner. This
Rydal Penrhos Won 68 0
levelled the scores. Up stepped fly half Clutton to convert
Newcastle Won 10 5 from the touchline to win the game 12-10.
Bishop Vesey’s Lost 5 49
Denstone College Lost 14 34
Packwood Lost 12 15
Birkenhead Lost 0 34
Prestfelde Won 12 10

We came away with a good win. New boy Rhys Williams

scored four tries in this game to cement his place at outside
centre.
We went on to beat Rydal Penrhos convincingly before just
edging victory in a tense game against a strong Newcastle
side. Unfortunately our progress was interrupted by half term
and when we returned we lost a couple of players to injury.
We were then beaten by a better team in Bishop Vesey’s.
They were bigger, faster and stronger and although we Jack Baxter Captain Hugh Clutton kicking off at the
fought hard we were always struggling at the breakdown. & Scrum Half Ellesmere Sevens Tournament

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We went on to beat two touring sides and

finished the season strongly. I am sure that the
core of the team will make a good basis for the
U14 team next year. Mr Cawcutt should be
pleased.
Our Sevens’
season showed
us to be a side
with good skills
but a lack of pace.
Despite this we
reached the final
of the Plate
competition at the
P a c k w o o d
Sevens only to
lose on the
golden try rule
after extra time.
My thanks go to
the boys for their Under 14s coach
hard work and also Mr. C. Cawcutt
to all those parents who supported the team.
DJM

The bare results suggest a disappointing

season with the boys continually
struggling against the odds, when in fact
the whole group stuck to their guns
manfully throughout the season when
faced with long journeys, huge
opponents and, on occasion, A team
opposition.
An opening win against Sandbach
boosted confidence, but Stafford’s A
team deflated us somewhat, not the last
time that the opposition would beat us for
size and pace. Newcastle proved too
strong and Bishop Vesey’s were just a
very good side, however the score-line
does not reflect the hammering we gave
their line for 10 minutes in the second
half. Confidence was now rather low and
in many ways this cost us in the next few
games, as on each occasion we started
poorly and only got into the game when it
was too late. Thus we lost to Denstone,
Packwood and Birkenhead in matches
we could have won.
Instead of a more straightforward trip to
play Hereford’s B team we were despatched to Rossall to
Results play their As, an afternoon that the team and their coach
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against will happily forget. However even there our front row of
Williams, Dapling and Dewhirst proved immovable, indeed
10 2 0 8 140 228
no one shifted them all season! A morale-boosting win over
Sandbach Won 45 0 a weak Prestfelde side helped our points difference before
Stafford A Lost 0 15 Kingsland Grange’s A team again showed up our
Newcastle Lost 5 25 deficiencies in size and speed.
Bishop Vesey’s Lost 5 52 My thanks to the boys for their efforts and enthusiasm (half
Denstone U12A Lost 0 15 the side will still be in the Lower School next year), to
Packwood Lost 12 15 Messers Morgan, Williams and Goodwin for their
Rossall A Lost 0 52 assistance, Jack Brewitt for leading the side so well and
Birkenhead Lost 12 17 finally to those parents who braved long journeys and cold
Prestfelde Won 61 0 touchlines to provide much appreciated support.
Kingsland Grange A Lost 0 37 WJH
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The tackling was much better in the second game

It is always a good sign that lots of boys want to turn out and
play rugby, and good that they have a chance to test
themselves against others. Ellesmere was able to field four
teams at U13 level; the U13C team allowed lots of students to
experience rugby, some for the first time!
Their first match was against Stafford Grammar School in early
October. Ellesmere made a terrible start as tackles went astray
and the opposition ran in four tries in the first half, the first
courtesy of a suspiciously forward pass. As Ellesmere
rediscovered their defensive skills, the Stafford charge was
slowed somewhat; indeed, the Ellesmere team were able to
retain the ball more and were rewarded with a try from Conor
Carrington-Sykes, converted by Captain Jack Brewitt. The final
action of the game saw Ellesmere defending deep in their own
22 for 10 minutes until finally overcome for a final try.
Final score: Ellesmere 7 Stafford Grammar 45
against Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School; despite the
opposition’s considerable physical advantage, the
Ellesmere players stuck to the task. It was only when
the defence was drawn into the middle of the field
that the Bishop Vesey’s team were able to outflank
them and score down the wing. Three more tries
were scored in the first half as the visitors’ extra
strength showed itself. In the second half the
Ellesmere defence held up far better, and we were
able to launch strong runs through Jake Corrie and
Tom Hunter-Johnston. More support would have
allowed them to create pressure on the opposition.
Final score: Ellesmere 0 Bishop Vesey ‘s 25
The sole away game was at Denstone, against their
13B team. By this time the team was playing more
cohesively and we recycled the ball much better. A
tackling error allowed a home try, but Ellesmere struck
back shortly after with a Corrie try. Ellesmere were
then guilty of relaxing too much after getting onto
equal terms, as the opposition ran in 13 points in the
next 10 minutes; 3 from a very good drop goal but the
other 10 from tries which could have been avoided
with better tackling. In the second half Ellesmere
denied Denstone any further points, and this despite our
being a man short when Stuart McIlraith was taken off to
Sick Bay. Ellesmere ran in a second try through Tom
Hunter-Johnston’s 60m run, and were denied a good
scoring chance late in the game when they were not
allowed to play an advantage from a Denstone knock-on.
Final score: Ellesmere 10 Denstone 18
The final game of the season was a total mismatch
against Rossall, where a considerably stronger and
uglier team put Ellesmere to the sword. To their credit,
the Ellesmere players were still running hard at the end
of the game and nobody’s head was allowed to drop for
long. They would have deserved some points for their
efforts, but sadly life isn’t always like that.
Despite the results, lots of boys were playing rugby for
the first time and generally a good time was had by all.
Most of these players should expect to play rugby
next year.

Under 13C squad:

Sesay, Eaton, Müller, Brotherton, McIlraith, Corrie,
Main, Jackson, Cole, Nyss, Sambrook-Jones,
Hunter-Johnston, Hedges, Belcher, Parry-Jones,
Lewis,
Morris, Davies, Butt, Carrington-Sykes, Brewitt,
Langton, Millan Acosta.
DWC

Results of the House Rugby

‘A’ Team
BONU TOTA
P W L D PTS F PTS A
S L

Brownlow 2 2 0 0 41 5 1 7

Phillips 2 1 1 0 15 17 1 4

Heywood 2 0 2 0 0 34 1 1

‘B’ Team
BO- TO-
P W L D PTS F PTS A
NUS TAL
Brownlo
w 2 2 0 0 36 12 0 6
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Hey-
2 1 1 0 12 26 0 3
1 1 0 0 39 0 wood

Packwood Won 39-0 Phillips 2 0 2 0 7 29 2 2

It was great that the Packwood fixture provided the opportunity

for so many of the boys who wanted to represent the school,
but hadn’t had the chance, to go and play. Ultimately all those
afternoon games sessions proved worthwhile as we ran out
comfortable winners - an unbeaten season! Well played.
PAG
Thank you to all who were involved. It was an excellent
competition at both standards, with some great play and
incidents. The Sixth Form boys were superb in helping as
team managers for the day.
ILW

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Girls’ Hockey

Results The most satisfying aspect of the season was seeing the
girls enjoying the training and achieving significant progress
Abbots Bromley (away) Drew 0 0 in their core skills.
Wolverhampton Grammar (away) Drew 2 2
In the final two practice sessions they produced some very
Oswestry School (home) Won 4 0 impressive hockey, thereby demonstrating considerable
Rydal Penrhos (home) Won 2 1 potential for the future provided they can learn to play
Packwood Haugh (away) Lost 0 2 consistently well throughout each match and stay calm when
Moreton Hall (home) Won 2 0 under pressure.
North Shropshire Tournament: Won 3, Drew 1, Lost 1 On an individual note, Paige Rudd was voted Player of the
Season and Grace Tomlinson won the Most Improved Player
(Finished 2nd) Award. Congratulations to Sarah Wicks and Alex Fearn for
Packwood Tournament: Won 1, Lost 2 being selected for the Shropshire U13 Squad.
(Eliminated in group stage)
On balance the U13s enjoyed a relatively successful
season, especially in our 11-a-side matches. The campaign House Hockey
began with a tense match at Abbots Bromley in which both Years 7 and 8
sides failed to capitalise on their chances. At Results:
Wolverhampton we secured a 2-goal lead and looked to be
Brownlow 0-0 Phillips
coasting to victory before a late rally by our opponents
Brownlow 0-0 Heywood
turned the match on its head and left us hanging on for the
draw. Our first home game resulted in a very easy win over Heywood 0-1 Phillips
a disappointing Oswestry side. We enjoyed a good first half Standings
against Rydal, but never managed to cross the halfway line 1st – Phillips 7pts 2nd – Brownlow 4pts
in the second half until the final minute, when we scored to 3rd – Heywood 2pts
secure a fortunate victory! Our most disappointing match
was against Packwood - we seemed rather overawed by Years 4, 5 and 6
the reputation of our opponents and did not play with Results:
confidence until the last 10 minutes. However, in the
Brownlow 1-3 Phillips
following game against Moreton Hall, a combination of solid
Brownlow 1-5 Heywood
teamwork and tactical discipline resulted in the most
Heywood 2-0 Phillips
assured performance of the season.
The 7-a-side squad entered the North Shropshire Standings
Tournament hopeful of retaining the shield won by the 1st - Heywood 10pts, 2nd - Phillips 5 pts, 3rd - Brownlow 0 pts
College in the two previous seasons, but had to be content
Overall Position
with the runner-up spot after being outplayed by a very
talented team from The Grove. 1st Heywood 12pts (on goals scored)
2nd Phillips 12pts
In the highly competitive Packwood Tournament the side
defended well, but failed to create sufficient goal-scoring 3rd Brownlow 4pts
opportunities to secure a place in the knock-out phase. HLG
124

Boys’ Football
The squad consisted of pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6.
Having worked hard at developing basic passing
techniques and keeping in allocated positions, there were
some pleasing performances from both A and B teams. The
squad entered the College tournament in good shape,
entering both an A team and a B team. The B team, while
not winning any games, played with much credit and
endeavour against other schools’ A teams making it very
difficult for the opposition to score.
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THE ELLESMERIAN 2007
The A team progressed through the group stages into the
semi-final where the young team finally ran out of steam,
losing on penalties in a very exciting game. Particular credit
must go to Sam Fearn, who, due to family relocation, is
leaving the school. He controlled the centre of midfield with
a great deal of determination. There were other notable
contributions, including Carmen Edwards, Ioan Parry-Jones
and William Doerr.
GO
 THE ELLESMERIAN 2007

Lent Term
Boys’ Football
The aim of this season was to be competitive in all
matches and to play controlled football. Through a
great deal of work the squad achieved many
creditable performances producing many notable
passages of play and being ruthless in front of goal.
Even against the larger schools the games were
close and the team certainly surprised the
opposition.
The team won their fair share of games, winning a
number very easily. The games that were lost tended
to be closely fought contests. Throughout the season
nearly twenty players represented the team showing
great depth of the squad. The squad improved a
great deal throughout the season becoming well
organised in defence, creative in midfield and
penetrative up front. The squad had good players in
all positions who never became complacent working
hard on their fitness and their individual technical
skills throughout the season. As a result, the squad
were a pleasure to coach. The following players
reeived their full colours:
Hugh Clutton, Harrison Gwilt, Kallum Johnson,
Jack Brewitt, Mike Kelly & Yyanis Johnson-Llambias
The season began with a crushing defeat to a
Sandbach side fielding several academy players. To
their credit, our team showed great character by
bouncing back from this sobering experience with a
very creditable draw against Wolverhampton
Grammar. Successive defeats to Kingsmead, King’s
Chester and Abbeygate were particularly frustrating
as we competed well, but lapses of concentration in
the closing minutes of each game proved to be very
costly. Two superb goals and a more resiliant
performance in defence enabled us to achieve
victory in the return fixture against King’s. In the final
match, we were simply unable to compete against a
Stafford Grammar side possessing greater pace and
physical strength.
As expected, this proved to be a difficult and
challenging season. However, the entire squad
remained positive throughout the campaign and their
hard work in training resulted in measurable progress
in terms of their individual skills and tactical
awareness.
RJP

Results
Lower School House Football A Team Competition
The Year 7 and 8 boys put on a great display of football at 1 Heywood v Brownlow 2
2 Heywood v Phillips 2
both A and B team level. The weather was kind this year 1 Phillips v Brownlow 2
and the football was fast and exciting. Every boy in Year 7
Points
and 8 had the opportunity to represent his House and the Brownlow 6, Phillips 3, Heywood 0
spirit and enthusiasm of the players showed throughout the
afternoon. B Team Competition
In the A team Competiiton the placings were decided on 2 Phillips v Brownlow 1
2 Brownlow v Heywood 0
the final match between Phillips and Brownlow. Brownlow 0 Heywood v Phillips 0
just clinched the victory 2-1 in the last few minutes of the
Points
second half. In the B Team Competition the final game Phillips 4, Brownlow 3, Heywood 1
also proved decisive, with Phillips and Heywood contesting
Overall Points Position
a draw which ultimately gave Phillips the 1 point needed to Brownlow 9 1
win the B Team event. Overall, with points added together Phillips 7 2
Brownlow won. Heywood 1 3
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Girls’ Netball
Due to a need to develop height in the
attacking circle Natalie Pickford and Alex
Fearn were drilled into new positions of
shooter and goal attack. Unfortunately, due to
restricted court space and poor weather, the
girls did not get the chance to really prove
what they could achieve. Had the squad
played a full, uninterrupted season I am
convinced the new playing combinations
would have produced sound results in match
play. Full credit should be given to the whole
squad who persevered with tightly constructed
practice sessions throughout this extremely
disrupted season.
Squad Members
Grace Tomlinson, Paige Rudd,
Natalie Pickford,
Alex Fearn, Freya West,
Sarah Wicks, Chloe Prydden,
Francine McSalley-Parsons, Jenny Griffiths
SO

Results
The Under 13 squad is selected from a small year group of Sandbach Home Lost 0 - 10
girls. Nevertheless, there is much talent and Grace Wolverhampton Grammar Away Drew 1-1
Tomlinson adds speed and agility to centre court play. Kingsmead Home Lost 1-2
Paige Rudd improved her defending and concentration skills King’s Chester Away Lost 0-4
enormously as the season progressed and Sarah Wicks was Abbeygate Home Lost 1-2
versatile and adapted to play in key positions to the benefit of King’s Chester Home Won 2-1
the team. Stafford Grammar Home Lost 0-5

Although the match was close throughout, the

The U12 season started against two very strong and
experienced opponents. With many basic skills needing
work, Ellesmere lost to Stafford Grammar School 4-37 and
Shrewsbury High School 1-22.
After working on the team’s development they gained
confidence in their ability, resulting in a much-improved
performance against Oswestry School. Ellesmere took the
lead early in the match with Lucie McClements and Sarah
Carr making the most of their scoring opportunities.
girls maintained their composure in the final
minutes to score the last goal, resulting in a 6-5
win. Another good result arose against Rydal
Penrhos, winning 10-8. The team played
cohesively, with Captain Katy Leicester giving a
high work-rate throughout.
Finally the girls had an excellent result in the
North Shropshire Tournament. Opponents
included Sir John Talbot (won 7-0), Marches
(won 4-3), Moreton Hall (lost 1-10), Adcote
(won 5-0) and The Grove (4-2). Ellesmere
snatched the victory against Oswestry School
in the semi-final (winning 1-0). The final was a
close match throughout, however Ellesmere
were unable to get the upper hand over
Moreton Hall in the closing minutes, resulting in
a 2-6 loss.
Squad:
Katy Leicester (Captain), Georgina Ottaway,
Eleanor Biggs. Kate Parry, Eve Davies,
Bethany Lyttle, Kate Norman, Sarah Carr,
Lucie McClements, Lucia Jones, Iona Jackland
HG
Results
v Stafford Grammar School lost 4-37
v Shrewsbury High School lost 1-22
v Oswestry School won 6-5
v Rydal Penrhos won 10-8
North Shropshire Tournament – runners-up

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Under 11A Results Both the U11 A and B teams improved over the term and all
Opposition Result Score Player of Match girls in Years 4, 5 and 6 represented the school at some
stage in the term. The highlight of the term was the win over
v The Firs Lost 4 0 Ellie Halstead
Moreton Hall 11 - 2 when we had lost to them at the start of
v Moreton Lost 4 2 the term 4 - 2. Well done Girls!
v The Firs Won 2 1 Jenny Pegg HLG
v Moreton Won 11 2 Emma Greville
Prestfelde Tournament
Finished 3rd in Group, 5th Overall
Ellesmere Tournament Finished 3rd in Group Under 11B Results
The U11 Team enjoyed a lot more matches this term and it Opposition Result Score Player of Match
certainly paid off at the end of the term. Again, they enjoyed v The Firs Lost 2 3 Sara Jackson
the experience of the Prestfelde and Ellesmere Tournaments
v Moreton Lost 4 3
as these tournaments are traditionally played at a high
standard. In the Prestfelde Tournament we finished 5th out of v The Firs Won 2 1 Megan Perkins
13 prep schools. v Moreton Lost 5 3

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Summer Term
Boys’ Cricket
It was evident that the U13 squad of players
were very enthusiastic about their cricket. They
always arrived at coaching sessions early and
would stay late if time allowed. Also, the majority
of the squad attended extra coaching sessions
and played for local clubs. The basics of
technique and game tactics were reinforced very
quickly in the early part of the season when the
weather was particularly kind. The team quickly
improved in all aspects of the game, and
developed from being initially naïve in the game
situation to become very competitive in all
matches, no matter what the standard of the
opposition.
As a result, the team was unbeaten in the
Shropshire League and achieved some good
results against schools from further afield. The
team was led by the more experienced Year 8
players including Matthew Macintosh as
Captain, Joel Maddock-James, Benedict Oakley,
Frazer Diamond and Jack Baxter as wicket
keeper. All of these players produced some fine
performances throughout the season. The squad
included a mix of both Year 8 and Year 7
players, and over 20 players played for the team. All of the Year 7 players matured considerably, particularly Sam Owen and
Alex Eaton, who both produced some fine bowling spells. This can only be promising for next year.
I would like to take this opportunity to say that the squad was a delight to coach and I thoroughly enjoyed the season.

This was a mixed term of cricket, with poor

weather leading to many fixtures being
cancelled. However, in the middle of all this
there were some good and entertaining cricket
matches.
Our first game was a tough fixture away at
Packwood. The weather was beautiful, a good
afternoon of cricket was expected, and the
game did not disappoint. We lost the toss and
Packwood elected to bat first. We began well,
Adam Brahim and Hugh Clutton taking good
early wickets. However we could not get their
opening batsman out, and he built up a good
personal innings. We were also guilty of
dropped catches and silly fielding mistakes at
times and this was obviously an area we needed
to work on in training. Packwood eventually
finished on 109 for 7 off 20 overs. We took
some good wickets, with Brahim taking two
more, Clutton one and one apiece for Luke
Taylor and John Paul. We then went into bat,
but did not start well, with Brahim being bowled
out in the first over. Clutton played a good
innings to keep the score ticking along, with
some good support from Sam Dapling and Luke
Taylor. However, the score was beyond our reach and we eventually finished on 50 all out. A tough game, but very entertaining
and not a bad showing for our first game of the term.
The second game was another tough fixture, away at King’s Chester. This turned out to be our poorest game of the term. We
arrived very confident of giving King’s a good game of cricket. We elected to bat first. From the outset though, it never looked like
being our day. Sam Kendall opened the batting with Kallum Johnson, but he was caught out on the third ball and Kallum soon
followed in the second over. By the fourth over we were 4 for 4, averaging a run an over. Our best batsman on the day was Jamie
Stokes. We finished on only 22 all out and King’s replied to this total with their two opening batsmen scoring 12 and 13 respectively
to finish the game.
The third and ultimately final game of the term was a home fixture against Rydal. We had a good team out on the field and we
elected to bat first. We scored a total of 54 all out, not the best score, with some good batting from Jamie Stokes, Rhys Williams
and Luke Taylor. We then went in to field and began very well with wickets from Hugh Clutton, Adam Brahim, Kallum Johnson and
Williams leading to the opposition being on 25 for 8. We felt at this stage of the game we could wrap it up after 13 overs, but Rydal
then put on a good partnership and held on to earn a well-fought win, scoring the decisive winning run in the final over of the game.
Overall it was a tough term, but rewarding to the players in the experience they have gained. Well done everybody who played and
thank you.
ILR
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Tennis
My Wimbledon Experience

This was the second time at Wimbledon,

although this time was to play, not watch. 1500
children entered the road to Wimbledon, only
64 got through and I was one of them. I was
very excited about the occasion. My dad and I
arrived on the Sunday to be met with a very
nice welcome pack. The competition was very
strong. I was the lowest rated player in my
box. All 3 matches were very close and went
to match tie-breaks. I was playing well but
luck wasn’t on my side. The week was going
well, apart from the rain, which gave me the
chance to play at the National Tennis Centre
(NTC) at Roehampton. I saw Andy Murray
practising, preparing for the US open. I joined
together with Katherine from H + W in the
doubles knockout. This was where we beat the
number 8 seeds but lost against the number 4
seeds, which was also very close.
I got the opportunity to go on a boat trip down
the Thames and the London Eye which was a
great social night. As well as this we went
around the museum and had a guided tour of
the grounds, where I went through the player’s
passage onto court 1, the Broadcasting Centre
and the players interviewing room.
One day I hope to play in the Championships
and I want to spin the marble ball which only
the players are allowed to spin.
Hopefully I will be back next year!
This was the best experience of my tennis
career in 10 years! It was awesome!
Jo Bowen

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Open Golf Championship Overall results

1st James Fisher 40
2nd Harrison Gwilt 44
3rd Jamie Stokes 45
4th John Paul 48
5th Ryan Morley 50
6th Dominic Kowalewski 51
7th Andrew Main 55
8th Felix Muller 64
9th Ryan Williams 78

House Golf Competition

Nine golfers participated in the first ever Lower School
Match Play House Tournament.
Three members of Heywood, Brownlow and Phillips battled
it out on a blustery day.

House Golf In the first 3 Heywood scored 5½, Brownlow 3 and Phillip ½.

On Thursday 14th June 2007 the first ever Lower School In the second 3 Phillips scored 4½, Heywood 3½, Brownlow 1.
Open Golf Championship was held on the College course. In the last 3 Brownlow scored 4, Heywood 2½, Phillips 3
Nine players, with their caddies, battled with the difficult wet
and windy conditions for the honour of becoming the first The overall result read:
ever Lower School Champion Golfer. The first 3 places were 1st Heywood 11½
hotly contested. Despite the poor weather some excellent nd
2 = Phillips & Brownlow on 8
golf shots between the players at the end of the match. In
third place was Jamie Stokes who shot 45, second place The best round of the day was by Harrison Gwilt who shot 40
was Harrison Gwilt who scored 44 but the winner, in a
followed by Jamie Stokes who scored 42.
commendable round of 40, was James Fisher. Mention must
also be given to John Paul who shot the best score for the ILW
Year 7 Boys.

Sports Day
Whilst dodging the June downpours the College managed to
run the Lower School Sports Day. This year the event was
supported extremely well by parents who braved the chilly
conditions to enjoy a great day of sport. The event is
significant in that every child is able to take part in at least
one event and therefore contribute to the House score. Over
the last few years the events have grown as the Lower
School numbers have swollen.

Pulling Hard

The eagerly
awaited
start Callum Trent

This year it proved very competitive between the three

Houses. In the field events Brownlow scored 137 points,
Heywood scored 120 points and Phillips scored 100 points.
On the track Brownlow scored 241, Heywood 210 and
Phillips 231. Adding these scores together the positions
were:-
1st Brownlow 378
2nd Phillips 331
rd
3 Heywood 330
Many thanks must be given to all the staff who contributed to
the day, the Parents’ Society, and all the parents who
cheered on throughout the afternoon.
Fun Race ILW
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Old Ellesmerian Festival

The day proved a great success for all the OEs who returned
to their old school. It was particularly good to see such a
cross-section of different ages back at the School. This was
the first time the Old Ellesmerian Club has organised such a
large event, but I can assure you it will not be the last.
People have already been asking if they can be involved with
next year’s event!
Richard Morris
OE Club President

In April 2007, I took over the Chairmanship of the OE Club

from Mr David Leftwich, who had run a very successful Club
for many years. As an OE, but also as a current parent of
two children at Ellesmere, I was honoured to take on this
important role and look forward to meeting OEs - young and
Old Ellesmerian Club Chairman & President old - at the various events we will be organising. The Club is
Richard Morris & Annie Granger run by a dedicated team of OEs and we are actively looking
to recruit new and younger members to the Executive team.
Hugely Successful Old Ellesmerian Festival If you feel you could spare some time to take an active role
within the Club, I would be delighted to hear from you.
During a warm and sunny Saturday in September
Some of the areas include:
Ellesmere played host to over 500 former pupils aged
1. Running the OE Sports teams
between 18 and 80. 2. Organising (or assisting) with regional Dinners
The activities during an action-packed afternoon included 3. Social events
team games and a Choral Workshop. After a Chapel 4. Web site development
Service there was a champagne reception followed by a 5. Business to Business – OE Club networking
hog roast supper with music provided by a jazz band in Big Richard Morris, OE Club Chairman
School.
The day was designed to encourage many of the
younger OEs to return with their families, some
more mature OEs returning with their families as
well. The Festival was the largest-ever OE Club
event with the most diverse range of ages.
The sports events started the afternoon with the
School’s 1st XV rugby team playing against the
previous leavers. This was followed by the Over
30s vs. the Under 30s rugby match.
Other sports included Boys’ hockey – Over 30s
vs. Under 30s, plus an OE Tennis Tournament.
There were also 6 Girls’ netball teams and a
Girls’ hockey game and finally, four 5-a-side
football teams. A tug-of-war ended the afternoon
activities.

Rob Slater Dean Jervis & Max Stringer

Chris Allinson & Beaumont Hildick Friends Reunited

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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, you can email our secretary,
John Harvey on j.a.harvey@btinternet.com or Keith
Shuttleworth on keith@dolhafren.freeserve.co.uk.

Visit our 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: richard@mcwgroup.co.uk

So - don’t forget - keep in touch!

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www.ellesmere.com