Open Afternoon at Humphry Davy School:

Centenary Tree Planting

It was a wet and windy day on 24th January 1910 when the first boys entered the new Penzance County School. Not so on 23rd January 2010, when old boys and now old girls joined with present and past staff, present students of the Humphry Davy School, and local dignitaries and family and friends, to celebrate the Centenary of the School. It was particularly pleasing to have with us one of our oldest old boys Frank Hosken (1930) with his brother Ernest (1938) and Dr Arnold ‘Derry’ Derrington (1933) and former members of staff Maurice Hogg, Jim Treglown and Bob Quixley – Jim and Bob themselves also being old boys.

Old Boys Ernest Hosken, Jim Treglown, Bob Quixley,
and Frank Hosken

The main event was the planting of a Rowan tree in front of the ‘new block’ by Jimmy Glover, a distinguished old boy. Some of you will remember the day off we had when Jimmy captained the winning Oxford side in the Varsity match in 1960. Jimmy’s daughter Freya is the current Head Girl of the School. The tree was donated by the school governors – the slate plaque was presented by the Old Penwithians Association. Speeches were made by the present Headmaster, Bill Marshall, and by the Association Secretary, Andrew Coak; who both assisted Jimmy with the tree planting to the rousing accompaniment of the School Song sung by the gathered old boys and former staff.

Bill Marshall and Andrew Coak assist Jimmy Glover in the Tree Planting

[Bill can be forgiven for not knowing the words of the School Song!]

An exhibition of memorabilia of the school from the past 100 years, together with samples of the current curriculum, were set up in what is now known as the Gallery and adjoining classrooms and tours of the school were available. We were entertained by the School Big Band and after the tree planting the music scholars of the school gave a superb concert. Tea, heavy cake and rock buns were served next to the old Chemistry lab.

If anyone out there has a maroon PCGS blazer we would love to borrow it for further exhibitions planned this year. The next Centenary Celebration is the “Big Sing” on 18 March and do not forget the Centenary Dinner on 29 December at the Queens.